TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending Sections 21.15.475, 21.52.212, Tables 32-1 and 32-1A in Chapter 21.32, Table 33-2 in Chapter 21.33, by amending the Use District Table for PD-25 (Atlantic Avenue Planned Development District), and by amending the Use District Table for PD-29 (Long Beach Blvd Planned Development District); and by adding Sections 21.15.335, 21.15.442, 21.15.562, 21.15.635, 21.15.1792, 21.15.1793, 21.15.1795, 21.15.2008, 21.15.2009, 21.15.2225, 21.15.2401, and 21.45.116, related to check cashing and other financial uses, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On November 13, 2012, the Long Beach City Council adopted a one-year moratorium prohibiting all check cashing, payday lending, car title loan and signature loan businesses citywide. The one-year moratorium was adopted to allow staff sufficient time to study check cashing businesses, and create new regulations that incorporate car title loan and signature loan businesses.
This is the second moratorium placed on check cashing and other financial services businesses in the last five years. The first moratorium was placed in 2008, due to the proliferation of check cashing businesses citywide. That moratorium was not extended by the City Council after staff found a number of check cashers were operating without licenses. Instead, the City Council directed staff to bring all illegal check cashing business into compliance with City zoning standards. Since Council direction, the number of businesses operating check cashing businesses has declined. This latest moratorium focuses on other related financial services. Staff has prepared an amendment to the Zoning Regulations pertaining to check cashing, pay day lending and other financial services, regulated in Chapter 21.52 of the Zoning Ordinance. This effort is now complete, and staff is pleased to present the new text to the City Council for review and adoption (Ordinance).
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