Cathedral City Votes To Ban New Tattoo Parlors

October 20th, 2009 · No Comments

Talk Concerning Limit On Tattoo Parlors Continues
By Victor Morales
Published : October 2, 2009

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA – Cathedral City officials will revisit the topic of restricting tattoo parlors and body-piercing establishments in the city, perhaps as soon as this month.
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The planning commission voted 4-0 on Sept. 24 to recommend to the City Council a ban on new parlors along East Palm Canyon Drive or 300 feet from it. Commissioner John Holt was absent.

If approved, Cathedral City would follow its neighbors, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, in limiting tattoo parlors and body-piercing shops.

These businesses are prohibited in the Palm Springs central business zone, which includes parts of East Palm Canyon Drive, according to its municipal code. Rancho Mirage’s municipal code does not allow the parlors anywhere in the city, city spokeswoman Beth Williams said.

Cathedral City Senior Planner Rich Malacoff told planning commissioners last week: “East Palm Canyon Drive is an economic generator, and it’s important for the city to be selective in the types of businesses that we allow, in order to protect the integrity of East Palm Canyon Drive.”

The ban would go into effect by amending the municipal code, once it’s approved. The council could consider it as early as its next meeting on Oct. 14.

The commission’s recommendation follows another move by the city this month to amend the municipal code in relation to tattoo parlors. The City Council approved on Sept. 9 a ban on branding and scarification practices at tattoo parlors and other establishments anywhere in the city.

An existing parlor, Cactus Tattoo at 68-477 E. Palm Canyon Drive, would not be affected by the ban, Malacoff said.

Cactus Tattoo owner Ruben Guzman said he was unaware of a potential change to the municipal code and that he was not worried after learning about it.

Guzman almost didn’t get to open his parlor earlier this year when the City Council decided to review the planning commission’s approval of his operating permit. However, the council failed to get a majority vote to overturn approval of the permit.

Councilman Greg Pettis said on Sept. 25 that the subject of tattoo parlors on East Palm Canyon Drive came up at a council study session after two parlors applied for permits. Pettis was concerned tattoo parlors in that area were not consistent with the city’s efforts to revamp its downtown district, he said.

“The city is spending millions of dollars in a new City Hall, and we got a new hotel coming in and are widening a bridge with all this money in an area where we are trying to stimulate higher-end business,” he said. “It’s not that we don’t want these businesses in the city; it’s just a question of where we put them.”

Source : My Desert