Planning commission recommends limited approval of tattooing in Grove Commercial Sales subdistrict — restricted to salons fronting State Street

The Pleasant Grove Planning Commission on Sept. 25 voted to forward a recommendation to city council to permit tattooing (use 6295) in the Grove Commercial Sales Subdistrict with two conditions: tattooing must be associated with an existing beauty/barber salon (use 6230) and the salon must front State Street. The motion, which carried, follows staff’s recommendation to deny a blanket addition of tattooing across the entire Grove subdistrict and to instead allow a limited, step‑wise change focused on State Street. Why it matters: the change would allow tattooing in certain commercial fronting locations that the city intends to present as a "signature" commercial corridor while aiming to limit broader proliferation across the subdistrict. Planning Department representative Jacob Hawkins told commissioners that tattooing is currently permitted only in two zone categories in the city — the transit overlay zone (not currently active in Pleasant Grove) and in the general commercial zone under the broad personal‑services category (use 6200). He said staff opposed adding tattooing city‑wide across the Grove Commercial Sales Subdistrict because the subdistrict covers a large area and the city wants to preserve a particular built and business character there. Applicant Ian Schwarting, owner of Vara Salon at 1809 West State Street, told the commission he operates salon suites and asked for a path to allow tattooing within salon suites. "I don't have a ton to say. I frankly don't care about what happens to the entirety of the zone," Schwarting said, but he asked the commission to allow tattooing to accommodate salon‑suite tenants who perform microblading and fine work typically associated with beauty services. Staff recommended approval only with conditions such as limiting tattooing to locations fronting State Street and pairing the use explicitly with 6230 (beauty and barber services). Commissioners debated whether to also limit tattooing by percentage of salon revenue (an approach used in other cities), but the commission ultimately approved a motion to recommend the amendment as modified: allow use 6295 in the Grove Commercial Sales Subdistrict only when attached to existing use 6230 and when the business fronts State Street. The motion will go to the city council for final consideration. What remains: city council will consider the planning commission’s recommendation, staff exhibits and findings, and any city‑attorney revisions before taking a final vote. If approved by council, businesses operating salon suites on State Street that meet the code criteria would be able to apply for the tattooing use under the local land‑use regulations.