And you’re probably asking yourself, why should I care about a pawn shop text change and how does it effect our area? Well, SouthWest CAC Chair Mary Belle Pate did some homework. The SouthWest CAC area has 6 pawn shops out of 15 city wide. Yeah, that’s 40%! (Go to Google Maps and type in: category: “Pawn Shops” loc: raleigh, NC to the search box to get a glimpse.)
The economic development of our area can be hindered by businesses that are frowned upon by many people. For example, shopping centers with pawn shops, check cashing, and tattoo parlor’s prevent our area from getting that little coffee shop or a decent family restaurant because they skew our demographics that retailers look at when deciding on locations.
You should plan on attending the public hearing for this text change if you want to voice you concern on this.
From the City of Raleigh ENewsletter:
PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR TEXT CHANGE CONCERNING PAWN SHOPS
The Raleigh City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 21 to discuss a text change that would limit the location of future pawn shops.
If the proposed ordinance is approved, pawn shops would be limited to locations within Business, Thoroughfare, and Industrial-1 and Industrial-2 zoning districts. The proposed ordinance would also continue to require a public hearing and City of Raleigh Planning Commission review of pawn shops seeking to open when located within 400 feet of residential property.
Small factors that contribute to our neighborhood but have a large impact. However the changes recommended in the hearing do not list your concern, which is the number of pawn shops in a neighborhood.
It’s even worse, all of them are located south of Hillsborough St.