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Committee weighs removing church separation distance in body‑art rules; Board of Health raises no concerns, public hearing continued
Summary
The Committee on Ordinances reviewed a referral to update body‑art regulations and heard that the Board of Health raised no health concerns for the proposed changes, while the Planning Board recommended a council conversation about removal of some separation distances.
The Committee on Ordinances took up a referral to revise Chapter 4200 (special regulations for body art) and heard Planning Board and Board of Health testimony on Aug. 25.
Stephanie Sloan of the Board of Health told the committee the board had reviewed the proposed change and “we don't have any concerns,” adding that existing health requirements and annual inspections would remain in place. Assistant City Planner Mike McCarthy summarized the Planning Board review, saying the board was comfortable with removing separation distances between tattoo shops and churches but left broader questions — for example, distances from schools or childcare — for the City Council to decide.
Councilor Joseph Lopes moved a related motion to strike the word “church” from the separation‑distance provision in Section 4220; the committee called a roll‑call vote on that related motion and recorded individual member positions during the hearing. Attorney Garatowski advised that any zoning text change would require the statutory public‑hearing and referral process and therefore could require re‑advertising if the committee adopted substantive changes tonight.
Members debating the change raised two recurring concerns: fairness to existing businesses that complied with the current dimensional rules and preserving neighborhood protections where concentrations of certain uses are undesirable. Planning staff said they would follow up with details requested by councilors — such as where approving authority or district permissions had changed in the draft use table — and the chair moved to continue the public hearing to the committee’s next meeting on Monday, Sept. 29 to allow staff time to provide the additional information requested.
What’s next: The committee left the public hearing open and asked planning staff for supplemental materials to be delivered in roughly 45 days; any ordinance text changes to zoning will require the formal public‑notice and referral steps the solicitor and staff described.
