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Planning commission recommends approval of ordinance adding tattoo and piercing studios to permitted uses
Summary
After a public hearing, the Richmond Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend City Council approval of Ordinance 2026-04, which adds “Tattoo/Piercing Studio/Shop” to the city’s permitted use matrix and clarifies warehousing/storage distinctions.
The Richmond City Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4-0 on June 2 to recommend that the City Council approve Ordinance 2026-04, which would add “Tattoo/Piercing Studio/Shop” to the city’s Permitted Use Matrix and adjust lines for warehousing and storage.
The Commission opened a public hearing on the proposed amendment and heard a question from resident Jay Bair about where tattoo and piercing services would be permitted. Chair Cache Christensen said the intent is to allow those uses in commercial settings with limits similar to small in‑home aesthetic practices, including a limitation of “one chair serving one customer at a time.”
The recommendation to the City Council was made by Commissioner Todd Smith and seconded by Commissioner Brock Meacham; the motion carried 4-0 (Allen, Christensen, Meacham, Smith). The Commission’s action was to forward the draft ordinance with a positive recommendation rather than adopting a final municipal code change that night.
Why it matters: the change will make tattoo and piercing studios an explicitly permitted use in the city’s regulated matrix, reducing ambiguity for business owners and zoning staff. The ordinance text also clarifies warehousing and storage categorizations to permit continuance of longstanding locations in the Manufacturing/Light Industrial (MLI) zone when a Conditional Use Permit is used.
What’s next: The recommendation will be transmitted to the Richmond City Council for consideration. Any final action to amend the Richmond City Municipal Code (Title 12-000, LUDMO) will be decided by the Council and, if adopted, would be reflected in the city code update process.
