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Aiken City board approves hair and nail services at Two Notch Road med spa
Summary
The Aiken City Board of Zoning Appeals approved special exception application 26-920001 to permit hair and nail services at an existing medical spa on Two Notch Road, conditioned on meeting parking and building-code requirements and recording the approval at the county ROD office.
The Aiken City Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception (application 26-920001) allowing hair and nail services at an established medical spa on Two Notch Road, the board decided after a hearing and discussion of parking, staffing and enforceability.
City planning staff told the board the subject property is approximately 0.48 acres and contains a 3,465-square-foot building built in 1991; the property was purchased by the applicant in 2024 and was rezoned from limited professional to limited business by city council earlier in 2026. Staff advised that personal-service uses such as salons are permitted in limited business districts only by special exception under section 3.1.6 of the city zoning ordinance, and noted the applicant proposes no exterior changes to the building or site.
Joanne Ganell, identifying herself as an employee at the med spa and speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the spa is owned by Dr. Alyssa Dgnen and currently offers injectables and facials. "We would like to add two hairdressers with over 20 years experience," Ganell said, and added the salon services would be appointment-only and staffed by contractors rather than full-time employees. She also said current staff are part-time.
Board members praised the lack of exterior alterations but raised enforcement questions about future staffing levels and the potential for increased traffic. "What if they decide to bring in 20 additional employees?" one board member asked during discussion, noting concern about the neighborhood impact. Planning staff responded that employee counts and building occupancy are typically addressed through building-code and occupancy rules, while zoning enforcement is more directly applicable to off-street parking and site changes.
After debate, the board approved the special exception with conditions that all parking and building-code requirements be satisfied, that the approval be recorded with the county register of deeds (ROD) office, and that the approval shall run with the owner. The board voted in favor by raised-hand/voice vote; the transcript records the motion carried but does not record a numeric roll-call tally.
The board did not require any changes to the building footprint or exterior appearance as part of the approval. The applicant is cleared to proceed under the recorded special exception provided the noted conditions are met.
