Pompano approves moratorium on certain businesses

POMPANO BEACH — City officials are eager to temporarily limit businesses such as pawn shops or drug treatment centers, but in doing so will also banish doctors, dentists and hospitals.

The City Commission tentatively approved a six-month moratorium Tuesday night that closes the door on liquor stores, check cashing stores, pawn shops, thrift stores, convenience stores and dormitories. But the ban includes health care facilities such as doctor or dentist offices.

The moratorium is being sold as an opportunity to put a pause on the proliferation of such businesses so officials can study if Pompano Beach is attracting the right mix of development in the right places.

“The vision of the city is to have retail and restaurants in the main corridor of the city,” said Mayor Lamar Fisher. “The city has invested millions of dollars in that vision.”

But the moratorium, which could be extended, produced a big thumbs-down from people representing drug treatment and rehabilitation facilities at Tuesday’s meeting.

“I’m a little concerned about why health care is in the same category as pawn shops and liquor stores,” said Gus Crocco, chief executive officer of First Step Behavioral Health. Crocco said he is days away from opening a new facility that he’s invested $575,000 in upgrading.

The moratorium moved for- ward with unanimous approval from the City Commission Tuesday. It comes up for final approval at the commission’s next meeting. There was no discussion on the dais Tuesday.

Concern about the concentration of recovering drug addicts has also emerged in Delray Beach. Unlike Pompano Beach, though, the concern centers around “sober homes” — which does not fall into the health care category. These homes are the