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Staff proposes zoning text amendments for tattoo parlors, EV charging and small-scale production; health department raises concerns about home‑based personal‑t
Summary
Planning staff recommended zoning text amendments to allow tattoo parlors by right in several non‑downtown commercial/industrial districts, add siting and spacing rules for public EV charging stations, and expand where small-scale production with on-site sales can operate, while the health department requested more review of home‑based personal‑care uses.
Planning staff outlined a package of zoning text amendments that would change where several uses are allowed and add performance standards.
On tattoo parlors, staff said the proposal would allow tattoo establishments by right in community commercial (CC), regional commercial (RC), light industrial, and the 20th Street/Colley Avenue and Riverview PCOs; staff removed proposed permissions for most downtown districts after the Downtown Norfolk civic organization expressed opposition. Staff said the Ghent Business Association, Riverview Business Association and Downtown Norfolk Council provided input; the Downtown Norfolk civic group opposed allowing tattoo parlors by-right in downtown districts and that change was withdrawn from downtown coverage.
On electric-vehicle (EV) charging, staff recommended allowing public, commercial EV charging stations as a principal use by right in CC, RC, light industrial, general industrial, institutional campus, airport and Monarch Way; staff proposed two performance standards: (1) chargers located a minimum of 10 feet from side and rear property lines (including the public right-of-way) and (2) chargers located a minimum of 30 feet from the nearest fire hydrant. Staff also proposed an accessory-charging standard limiting charging stations to no more than 35% of required parking spaces for the principal use and applying the same setbacks.
For small-scale fabrication and on-site sales (described in the staff report as the sale of hand-fabricated consumer goods), staff proposed allowing the use by right in CC, RC, the 20th Street/Colley Avenue PCOs and existing downtown districts, subject to a 15,000 square-foot cap and a requirement that at least 15% of gross floor area be devoted to on-site sales or service.
Commissioners asked staff to break out an initiated text amendment on home occupations after receiving a letter from the health department. The health department asked the commission to pause or reconsider changes that would, if adopted, permit additional home-based personal-care uses (massage therapy, nail and hair services) without further code or licensure changes. Staff said it would not place that initiated amendment on the next agenda while staff and the health department provide more detail on licensure and health-code requirements.
Staff framed the package as aiming to modernize zoning allowances and add straightforward performance standards; the transcript records staff recommendations and stakeholder positions but no final city council action in the provided excerpt.
