City Council Discusses Tattoo Ordinance
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Tattoo parlors are currently allowed as a special exception in Commercial-2, C-3 and C-5 districts, and Industrial-2, I-3 districts.
The proposal from the city, if approved, would be an ordinance amendment that would continue to allow C-2 as special exceptions, and allow C-3, C-5, and I-2 and I-3 as permitted uses for tattoo establishments.
The city council is asking the plan commission to look at the text of the current zoning ordinance to determine where tattoo parlors are permitted within the zoning districts as outlined per the zoning ordinance.
Currently, tattoo parlors are not permitted by right in any zoning district, but permitted by special exception.
Hank’s Tattoo is currently in a C-3, commercial arterial zoning district, and the city’s proposal would be to allow tattoo establishments as a permitted use in C-3 zoned districts.
The C-2 district is a neighborhood commercial zoned district and the city is recommending tattoo parlors be kept as a special exception in the C-2 zoning district to keep in line with the residential nature of the area.
The plan commission will have some discussion Monday at 7 p.m. on the issue at city hall, but no recommendation will be made at that time, according to Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
Two public hearings on the issue have been set for the July 12 plan commission meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall, and an August city council meeting.
At the July commission meeting, the planners are scheduled to make a recommendation to the city council for an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow tattoo establishments as permitted uses in C-3, C-5, I-2 and I-3 districts.
City council will then need to approve the amendment.
Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals approved, at its May 23 meeting, granting Hank’s Tattoo, 3704 Lake City Highway, and Take Action, 938 N. Detroit St., special exceptions to be located at the sites.
However, the board approved the exceptions with restrictions that signage can no longer say “tattoo,” “body piercing” or “body art” that is visible from the roof, wall, windows or from the road.
Jeffrey Brown, who has tattoos and spoke on behalf of Take Action, said tattooing needs to be treated without bias.
“It’s a quality art form and is a business adding to our economy,” Brown said.
“We have a lot of vacant buildings in the town, and if we have a place taking care of itself in a quality manner they should be allowed to advertise what they do,” Brown said.
The city council had discussion on the issue Monday night.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to address deficiencies in the city’s zoning ordinance, and it won’t be the last,” Skinner said.
Skinner said the city is not against tattoos, and there are a lot of uses in the zoning ordinance that have come up that weren’t foreseen when the zoning ordinance was originally written.
Council president Joe Thallemer said it is important to have a current comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance.
Councilman Jeff Grose said the danger of being proactive in following the comprehensive plan as it has been set is that there is not input from businesses and residents and it doesn’t take into account changes in the city since it was originally written.
“Sometimes it’s better the public tell us the comprehensive plan might be dated, and this is a good example that things have changed since 1998,” Grose said.
Councilman Charlie Smith said what was good 15 to 20 years ago was in the comprehensive plan may not be what is good for today.
Councilwoman Diane Quance suggested the city look at zoning for the Ind. 15 corridor.
“Let’s do this so we don’t keep coming back to review the zoning ordinance, and so people who want to locate to this community know what is possible for them,” Quance said.
Skinner said the city’s comprehensive plan has a 15-year shelf life with periodic updates every five years, and agreed the comprehensive plan could be looked at and updated.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a request from Habitat For Humanity of Kosciusko County to waive sewer tap fees for two homes that will be built in July on Market Street.
The council also approved a $48,000 transfer from the street department’s budget professional services to budget repairs and maintenance for storm water line repairs on Clark Street, Park Avenue and Ind. 15.[[In-content Ad]]
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Tattoo parlors are currently allowed as a special exception in Commercial-2, C-3 and C-5 districts, and Industrial-2, I-3 districts.
The proposal from the city, if approved, would be an ordinance amendment that would continue to allow C-2 as special exceptions, and allow C-3, C-5, and I-2 and I-3 as permitted uses for tattoo establishments.
The city council is asking the plan commission to look at the text of the current zoning ordinance to determine where tattoo parlors are permitted within the zoning districts as outlined per the zoning ordinance.
Currently, tattoo parlors are not permitted by right in any zoning district, but permitted by special exception.
Hank’s Tattoo is currently in a C-3, commercial arterial zoning district, and the city’s proposal would be to allow tattoo establishments as a permitted use in C-3 zoned districts.
The C-2 district is a neighborhood commercial zoned district and the city is recommending tattoo parlors be kept as a special exception in the C-2 zoning district to keep in line with the residential nature of the area.
The plan commission will have some discussion Monday at 7 p.m. on the issue at city hall, but no recommendation will be made at that time, according to Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
Two public hearings on the issue have been set for the July 12 plan commission meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall, and an August city council meeting.
At the July commission meeting, the planners are scheduled to make a recommendation to the city council for an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow tattoo establishments as permitted uses in C-3, C-5, I-2 and I-3 districts.
City council will then need to approve the amendment.
Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals approved, at its May 23 meeting, granting Hank’s Tattoo, 3704 Lake City Highway, and Take Action, 938 N. Detroit St., special exceptions to be located at the sites.
However, the board approved the exceptions with restrictions that signage can no longer say “tattoo,” “body piercing” or “body art” that is visible from the roof, wall, windows or from the road.
Jeffrey Brown, who has tattoos and spoke on behalf of Take Action, said tattooing needs to be treated without bias.
“It’s a quality art form and is a business adding to our economy,” Brown said.
“We have a lot of vacant buildings in the town, and if we have a place taking care of itself in a quality manner they should be allowed to advertise what they do,” Brown said.
The city council had discussion on the issue Monday night.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to address deficiencies in the city’s zoning ordinance, and it won’t be the last,” Skinner said.
Skinner said the city is not against tattoos, and there are a lot of uses in the zoning ordinance that have come up that weren’t foreseen when the zoning ordinance was originally written.
Council president Joe Thallemer said it is important to have a current comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance.
Councilman Jeff Grose said the danger of being proactive in following the comprehensive plan as it has been set is that there is not input from businesses and residents and it doesn’t take into account changes in the city since it was originally written.
“Sometimes it’s better the public tell us the comprehensive plan might be dated, and this is a good example that things have changed since 1998,” Grose said.
Councilman Charlie Smith said what was good 15 to 20 years ago was in the comprehensive plan may not be what is good for today.
Councilwoman Diane Quance suggested the city look at zoning for the Ind. 15 corridor.
“Let’s do this so we don’t keep coming back to review the zoning ordinance, and so people who want to locate to this community know what is possible for them,” Quance said.
Skinner said the city’s comprehensive plan has a 15-year shelf life with periodic updates every five years, and agreed the comprehensive plan could be looked at and updated.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a request from Habitat For Humanity of Kosciusko County to waive sewer tap fees for two homes that will be built in July on Market Street.
The council also approved a $48,000 transfer from the street department’s budget professional services to budget repairs and maintenance for storm water line repairs on Clark Street, Park Avenue and Ind. 15.[[In-content Ad]]
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