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Planning board recommends allowing tattoo and piercing studios in Currituck County general‑business zones with limits
Summary
The Currituck County Planning Board voted May 12, 2026 to recommend a text amendment (PB26‑06) to allow tattoo parlors and body‑piercing establishments in the General Business (GB) district by special‑use permit, with conditions including hours limits, signage restrictions, a 10‑mile spacing rule in GB, and a prohibition in Corolla. The advisory recommendation goes to the Board of Commissioners for final action.
The Currituck County Planning Board on May 12, 2026 voted to recommend a text amendment (PB26‑06) that would allow tattoo parlors and body‑piercing establishments in the county’s General Business (GB) zoning district subject to a special‑use permit and use‑specific standards.
Planning staff explained that the special‑use permit is an evidentiary hearing before the Board of Commissioners requiring four findings: the use must not endanger public health or safety; it must not injure the value of adjoining properties; it must be consistent with county adopted plans; and it must not adversely affect school facilities. Staff recommended the amendment as consistent with the unified development ordinance and the Imagine Currituck 2040 vision plan’s goals for economic development and infrastructure.
Applicants Mitchell Bear and Lisa Marie Bear told the board they plan a small, appointment‑only studio on their one‑acre property in Maple. "We are not requesting unrestricted right by use," Mitchell said; Lisa Marie added, "Our goal is to create a professional, low‑impact environment that reflects the character of the community." They said the studio would be enclosed, have limited daily traffic and two tattoo stations, and that they had passed previous health inspections in Virginia Beach.
To address compatibility, the board’s recommended language includes several conditions: in the GB district a tattoo/piercing establishment would have to be the sole commercial use on the subject parcel; no GB‑district tattoo/piercing establishment would be located within 10 miles of another such GB use as measured from parcel exterior property lines; the amendment would expressly prohibit the use in Corolla; hours in GB would be limited to 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (with the Board of Commissioners allowed to set Sunday limits); signage would be tightly limited (one non‑illuminated advertising sign up to six square feet and no window signs); activity must occur within an enclosed structure; and buffering standards (for example, a Type C perimeter landscape buffer or a minimum 6‑ft opaque fence adjacent to residential structures within 100 feet) would apply where residential uses are nearby.
Board members pressed staff and the applicants on several implementation details: whether permanent makeup and related services would be included in the definition, how to measure the 10‑mile spacing, how to address existing nonconforming shops, and whether to limit the number of tattoo stations rather than attempting to limit cars. Staff noted one existing business in Grandy that predates the 2013 ordinance and that a violation notice had recently been issued; if the amendment is adopted, such businesses could seek compliance via the special‑use permit process.
A board member moved to recommend approval with the listed stipulations and the board adopted the advisory recommendation by voice vote. The Planning Board’s recommendation is advisory; final approval will be decided by the Currituck County Board of Commissioners at a future hearing.
Votes at a glance: The Planning Board adopted the recommendation by voice vote on May 12; the advisory motion passed and will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for final action.
