Vernon Hills keeps doors closed to cash for gold stores
They have been asked, but Vernon Hills officials don’t see any value in cash for gold stores.
During an informal work session on Tuesday, village officials were considering whether to continue denying cash for gold store requests based on the zoning code or amending it to allow them.
“There’s absolutely no benefit to the village in this,” Police Chief Mark Fleischhauer told the board. “All we’re doing is establishing a place for people to fence stolen property.”
The requests generally have been for locations along Route 60 and Milwaukee Avenue, the village’s main commercial corridor. Those types of businesses are not allowed in the B-1 zoning district that covers those areas.
The most recent involved a spot at Westfield Hawthorn Mall and another strip shopping center nearby.
The first would have replaced a business in a kiosk that was not in compliance with the code. Since the business had left, that issue resolved itself.
In the second, the owner represented the business as a jewelry store, offering items for sale and also purchasing jewelry that contained precious metals. Research by staff showed the main use was buying gold, however, and it was rejected based on the code.
Seeking direction on the issue, Building Commissioner Mike Atkinson, gave the board three options to consider:
ŸContinue the present practice with businesses having the right to request a text amendment or appeal a staff interpretation.
ŸChange the code by allowing the purchase of gold as an accessory use for a jewelry store with the stipulation that 90 percent of its operation be devoted to the retail sale of jewelry. That would help staff to determine if the use was permitted, but would present a problem in tracking the sales versus purchases, Atkinson said.
ŸAllow cash for gold establishments in the B-1 district as a permitted or special use.
Fleischhauer said it would be tough to monitor and regulate the stores if they were allowed an avenue to locate in the village.
“It’s easier just to leave it as it is,” he said. Trustees concurred and no changes will be made.