The granting of a license pursuant to this chapter is subject
to issuance of a special permit by the Planning and Zoning Commission
of the City of West Haven in accordance with the Land Use Regulations.
The issuance of a special permit is a condition precedent to the filing
of an application for a pawnbroker's license in accordance with
this ordinance.
The Chief of Police for the City of West Haven, with the approval
of a majority vote of the Police Commissioners, may grant licenses
to suitable persons to be pawnbrokers and to carry on the business
of lending money on the pledge of personal property, or of purchasing
such property on condition of selling it back again at a stipulated
price, and may revoke such licenses for cause. The person so licensed
shall pay a fee of $50 and $25 per year thereafter for renewal of
such license. At the time of receiving such license, the applicant
shall file a bond with competent surety in the sum of $2,000 and conditioned
for the faithful performance of the duties and obligations pertaining
to the business so licensed. Each license shall designate the place
where such business is to be carried on and shall continue for one
year unless sooner revoked. The issuance of such license is personal
and as such may not be assigned or delegated. Violations of this requirement
is grounds for revocation.
A business operating under a Pawnbrokers license shall post
the hours of operation in a conspicuous area. It shall be unlawful
for places operating under these licenses to operate before 8:00 a.m.
and after 8:00 p.m. The City of West Haven may, by a vote of the City
Council or by amendment of this ordinance, reduce the numbers of hours
during which a business under this section shall be conducted.
No such lender shall sell or dispose of any personal property
left with him in pledge for the money loaned in less than six months
from the date when the same is left in pledge as aforesaid. All such
property shall be sold or disposed of at a public or private sale
only after advertisement in a newspaper having circulation within
the City of West Haven at least two days before the date of the sale
or sales, which advertisement shall state the numbers of the pledge
tickets representing the property offered for sale and the date or
dates when such tickets were issued. Such advertisement shall also
be provided to the Chief of Police.
A notice shall be prominently displayed at all times within
the licensed premises stating that no one under the age of 18 years
shall pawn or sell items. Items may be sold or pawned only by a natural
person who has proper identification that shall include a full face
photograph of such person.
Any person, corporation or partnership which engages in the
business of pawnbroker, unless licensed according to law, or after
notice that its license has been revoked, or which violates any of
the provisions of this ordinance, or neglects to keep a book in the
English language or to make the entries therein as provided by law,
or refuses to allow the same to be inspected by the proper officers,
or receives an article of personal property by way of pawn or pledge
from a minor, shall be fined not more than $50 for the
first offense and not more than $100 for the second offense, and for
the third offense shall be fined not more than $500. Any violation
of this ordinance may result in revocation of such license; such revocation
will require that all business conducted as a pawnbroker cease, pending
hearing by the Board of Police Commissioners within 10 days of said
revocation.