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Licenses Committee advances ordinance updating tattoo and body‑art rules, adds temporary‑vendor standards
Summary
The Licenses Committee heard a Health Department update and voted to pass an ordinance (file 250076) that updates state agency references and adds explicit requirements for temporary tattoo/body‑art vendors at events. The committee approved the change after a short presentation from the Health Department.
The Licenses Committee on June 10 advanced changes to the city’s tattoo and body‑art licensing rules (file 250076) after a presentation from the Health Department and a brief round of questions. The committee voted to pass the ordinance.
Health Department Director Carly Hagerty told the committee the ordinance updates city code to reflect the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) as the current state regulatory authority and adds detailed rules for temporary tattoo and body‑art vendors who operate at festivals, conventions, bars and other pop‑ups. Hagerty said the changes spell out operational expectations — such as requiring event coordinators and vendors to submit vendor rosters and staff lists, to provide hand‑washing stations near booths, to require that applications be filed with the city clerk at least seven days before events and to clarify how many artists may operate in a single booth. The department has also updated the city’s licensing application and self‑inspection checklists to match the ordinance.
Hagerty said the city has roughly 70 brick‑and‑mortar tattoo/body‑art establishments and regularly sees dozens of temporary vendors at large events. The new language is intended to make the city’s requirements explicit for temporary operations so that event hosts, vendors and inspectors have clear, enforceable standards.
Committee chair Alderman Jocasta Samaripa called for public input; none was offered. Alderman Peter Bergellis moved approval, and the committee passed the ordinance.
Why it matters: the ordinance aligns the municipal code with current state oversight (DSPS rather than the Department of Health Services in older code text) and lays out concrete advance‑notification and sanitation requirements for vendors who operate temporarily at events. Supporters said the language will help inspectors, event organizers and vendors coordinate and avoid unsafe or unexpected set‑ups on busy festival days.
What’s next: The passed language will be incorporated into the city code. Licensing staff indicated the department has already updated colleague training materials and the vendor application/checklist to reflect the new rules.
Speakers - Carly Hagerty — Director, Consumer Environmental Health (health department) — provided the presentation and the ordinance context. - Alderman Jocasta Samaripa — Committee chair — chaired the discussion and called the vote. - Alderman Peter Bergellis — moved approval.
Discussion vs. decision - Discussion: Health Department outlined practical reasons for the changes (state code alignment, temporary‑vendor risks, sanitary controls and notification timing). - Decision: Committee voted to pass the ordinance (file 250076).
Provenance (transcript excerpts) - topicintro: block_id:"s=65.68,e=87.365" local_start:0 local_end:174 evidence_excerpt:"The item on the agenda is file number 250076, an ordinance relating to the tattooing and body parsing license body piercing licensing and temporary events." reason_code:"topicintro" - topfinish: block_id:"s=315.18,e=326.675" local_start:0 local_end:112 evidence_excerpt:"Alderman Peter Bergellis has moved approval. Any objection or or discussion on Peter Bergellis's, motion for passage? Hearing none, so ordered." reason_code:"topicfinish"
