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Richmond planning commission recommends ordinance to amend permitted-use matrix
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-0 May 5 to recommend Ordinance 2026-03, which adds entries to the city’s Permitted Use Matrix — including mortuary/crematorium and taxidermy — and clarifies rules for personal care services such as tattooing; staff will draft final language for council review.
At its May 5 meeting the Richmond City Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend that the City Council adopt Ordinance 2026-03, which would amend the Richmond City Municipal Code (Title 12, Chapter 12-3000) to add and clarify permitted uses in the city’s land-use matrix.
The public hearing on the ordinance opened at 6:33 p.m. Resident Craig Andrus voiced concern that the proposal would permit uses such as a mortuary or crematorium in an A-10 zone while individual homeowners face restrictions. Andrus said the proposal "makes me feel less important as a citizen who has lived in the area my entire life," and was advised to pursue rezoning or discuss subdivision options with city staff.
Commissioners framed the changes as primarily administrative and aimed at making the matrix more searchable. Commissioner Cache Christensen thanked Andrus for his input and said resident comments helped shape the proposal. The ordinance text under consideration would add entries including "Mortuary, Crematorium" and "Taxidermy Studio/Shop," designate those uses as permitted in A-10, A-5, CBD, HC and MLI zones, designate them as conditional uses in RE-1 and RE-2, and prohibit them in RLD, RMD, RMF and NC.
Staff also raised a related clarification about "Personal Care Services." Justin Lewis, the city recorder, said the city received a recent inquiry about whether a tattoo studio would be allowed and noted that "Tattoo/piercing fall under 'Personal Care Services.'" Commissioners discussed making tattoo and piercing services a conditional use in residential zones to prevent several artists and customers operating from a single home. Commissioner Brock Meacham said the ordinance should require a licensed, insured artist and rely on Health Department sanitation rules; he noted the need to draft wording that prevents nuisance outcomes such as loitering or late-night commotion.
Commissioners generally indicated support for permitting personal care services in commercial zones while treating them as conditional in residential zones; staff was asked to draft specific language for a future meeting. The commission closed the public hearing at 6:36 p.m. and, after discussion, Commissioner Cache Christensen moved and Commissioner Todd Smith seconded a recommendation that the City Council approve Ordinance 2026-03. The motion passed unanimously.
The commission also approved the April 7, 2026 meeting minutes (motion by Cache Christensen; seconded by Brock Meacham) with minor corrections and discussed upcoming items for the June 2 meeting, including an initial discussion of detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and a staff suggestion to consider forbidding new park-strip turf in future subdivisions as a water-conservation measure. The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve April 7, 2026 minutes (moved by Cache Christensen; seconded by Brock Meacham) — approved 5-0 (Allen, Christensen, Meacham, Smith, Wallis). - Motion to recommend approval of Ordinance 2026-03 to City Council (moved by Cache Christensen; seconded by Todd Smith) — recommended 5-0 (Allen, Christensen, Meacham, Smith, Wallis).
What happens next: Staff will draft ordinance language reflecting the commission’s direction (including conditional-use language for personal care services in residential zones) and present it to the City Council for consideration; the commission will take up ADUs and park-strip landscaping at its June 2 meeting.
