Tattoo ordinance could put limits on shops

Joshua Daniels is excited to share his art with the Auburn community.It just so happens that his canvas is other people's bodies.Daniels' Beauty Takes Pain tattoo shop on Lincoln Way is set to open soon, but future tattoo artists may have a more difficult time.Auburn police and the city's planning department are working on wording for an ordinance that would restrict where tattoo shops could go and who could apply them.The effort comes on the heels of a wave of shops in the Downtown district, perhaps reflecting more mainstream attitudes toward getting inked."Many cities have ordinances that allow them to have oversight over tattoo shops in their jurisdiction," said Auburn Police Chief Valerie Harris. "Now is the appropriate time. We're having all these applications just overnight."Currently, there are three tattoo shops on Lincoln Way. These three shops would not be affected by the new ordinance, Harris said, but future applicants would be.A draft version of the ordinance would:- Restrict tattoo shops to areas zoned Central Business or Regional Commercial District;- Require potential shops to obtain a use permit approved by the city planning commission;- Require shops be at least 250 feet from any residential zone and 1,000 feet from any school, park, church, religious organization or establishments principally used by minors. - Prevent tattoo shops from being located within1,000 feet from any other tattoo shop.- Allow inspecting officers from the city or county health department to enter and inspect the premises;- Limit the permited hours of operation;- Prohibit registered sex offenders from doing tattoos on a client's private areas.These regulations would prevent a concentration of tattoo shops and prevent any negative secondary effects on neighboring properties, such as blight or public nuisances, according to the draft ordinance.The Auburn City Council held a public hearing on the ordiance last week, but did not adopt it. The council requested more study into how restrictive the ordinance needs to be and clarification on what constitutes a tattoo shop, as many salons offer permanent make-up tattoos, said Auburn Mayor Mike Holmes."It's become more acceptable as a business, and I'm not sure we need to overregulate that," Holmes said. "The more we keep government out of businesses' business the better we are. There are cases where we might need to have some guidelines, of course."But Daniels feels the measures may be too stringent on tattoo shops."I don't understand why it's so looked down upon," he said. "I have a studio and tattooing is one medium I'm doing. I'm an artist and they're making it look like it's a nuisance to the community and all I want is to be a part of the community."He points to a glut of hair salons and gift shops in Downtown that are not being subject to regulations on how close they can be to similar shops.Another shop preparing to open on Lincoln Way is Utopia Tattoo and Body Piercing. Owner Joe Sprawka said a city ordinance may help, but won't weed out all problem tattoo shops."I firmly believe the problem will not be fixed within the planning or building department," he said. "Where (a tattoo shop) goes does not matter if it's run correctly."More inspections and more thorough inspections would lead to better tattoo shops, he said.Sprawka said he and other shop owners find it important to hold themselves to high standards."I'm more concerned with the public having a bad taste in their mouth about tattoo shops," he said. "As tattoo shop owners we dedicate ourselves to public safety and have their best interests at heart."Although he's going "above and beyond" to give Auburn a good tattoo shop, Sprawka believes others may not have the same opportunity."It's plain as day to me that the ordinance is specifically trying to stop tattoo shops from this point on, which is pretty sad to me," he said, adding that the popularity of tattoos is booming, despite the recession.Some don't see tattoo shops as something to be worried about."I don't see it as a problem," said Pat Parks, 60, who works in Auburn. "Businesses should be allowed to open if there's demand, and I don't think it's an unsavory business."But Harris said Auburn police have had some complaints about late night activities and noise related to tattoo parlors.An ordinance establishing where tattoo shops could be would eliminate these kind of issues, but it also can't be too prohibitive, she said."The council considered (the draft ordinance) too restrictive and said it would impede other tattoo shops from locating here, so we're working on that and working with the planning department to make sure not it's overly restrictive but still allows for public safety oversight," Harris said. Daniels said he's willing to work with police to deter any negative side effects to his business and wants to be a positive part of the community. He's already held a fundraising car wash and wants to take part in future Auburn Art Walks.Daniels, 30, was born and raised in Auburn and has been a professional tattooer for five years. "I was driven (to open my own shop) because I just want better things for myself and my children," he said.With a star inked on his upper left cheek and tattoos wrapping his neck, Daniels said people have walked across the street to avoid crossing paths with him."I just want people to get to know the tattoo community and know we're not freaks," he said. Michelle Miller-Carl can be reached at michellem@goldcountrymedia.com.