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Environmental health updates code and fees; proposed tattoo/body‑art ordinance will need legal review and commissioner approval
Summary
Warrick County environmental health staff rewrote food and tattoo/body‑art ordinances to align with state code changes, proposed a consolidated $500 establishment fee for tattoo businesses, and legal counsel said ordinances with fees require publication and commissioner approval.
Katrina Sizemore, environmental inspector, told the board Jan. 18 that staff rewrote two ordinances — one updating food‑service rules to reflect a July 2025 code change and another modernizing the county tattoo/body‑art ordinance. "The tattoo and body art ordinance was real old, real old. It needed to be updated," Sizemore said.
Sizemore said staff updated the plan‑review packet to be more user friendly, and that three new establishments opened recently: American Table Diner, a coffee bar called Coffee by Em, and an event venue now called the Arris venue.
On fees, staff proposed consolidating an establishment and artist fee so owners (who are typically also artists) would pay a single $500 establishment fee that would include the artist fee, instead of a separate $500 plus $100. Sizemore said she and colleagues have solicited feedback from affected owners during inspections.
County legal counsel advised that fee changes trigger statutory notice and publication requirements and recommended sending the ordinance through legal review, adding it to the commissioners' agenda, and publishing it (typically twice) so it can be enforced. Counsel also advised seeking a commissioner sponsor for future ordinance changes to ease adoption at the commissioners' meetings.
Sizemore said the rewritten documents are with county review and will proceed through legal and commissioners' review before any change is enforceable.
