There’s been a thread going around MySpace and other assorted sites that Richmond City Council is considering legislation “banning” tattoo shops. On April 10th Councilwoman Kathy Graziano proposed the following:
Res No. 2007-R60: (Patron: Ms. Graziano)- To request a study of whether the City’s (sic) zoning ordinance should be amended to establish provisions prohibiting the location of tattoo parlors in residential districts and requiring conditional use permit in business districts: and to direct the planning commision to hold a public hearing on such proposed amendment.
But what does it mean? Word’s been spreading like wildfire that this is going to ban tattoo shops in Richmond and that this city will lose all it’s wonderful parlors and businesses and the end of the world is near.
But someone seems to have gone out of their way to go straight to the source, contacting Ms. Graziano’s office for clarification:
Email from Kathy Graziano’s office:
The resolution is the typical city way of doing business…Council is requesting that the Planning Commission study… The Dilligaf thing came up and caused Kathy to look more closely at the whole issue. We discovered that there is no prohibition on the establishment of a tattoo/piercing business as a home-based occupation in a residential district. Hence the proposed prohibition in a residential district. The SUP for commercial is an opportunity for communities to comment on a permit for a business. Otherwise, it is a “by right.”
…
I asked for more clarification.
Kathy’s office replied,
“First, it does not affect any current business. Second, it prohibits the opening of any tattoo business in a residential district. Third, it would require a special use permit for a NEW tattoo business in a commercial district. Finally, it would not ban anything. David”
So existing businesses, you’re fine. New businesses, you’d have to figure something out. I’m assuming these are the same types of restrictions that, say, a restaurant would face trying to open in a residential. A special use permit may be a bit much, so that’s certainly something to take issue with. But overall, tattoos aren’t going anywhere, Richmond.
But it’s nice to see people participating in the legislative process.