Carson City Planning Commission recommends changing zones for tattoo parlors

Tattoo parlors may soon be allowed in retail areas of Carson City.

The businesses are now allowed with a special use permit in the city’s limited industrial zone, but the Planning Commission voted on Wednesday to recommend to the Board of Supervisors an ordinance change that would let them operate as a permitted use in retail commercial zones.

The issue was brought to the commission by Jason Meindl, who owns Jason’s Bizarre art gallery on California Street. Meindl is also a tattoo artist who would like to add the service to his existing business, which is located in a retail commercial zone.

The commission tabled two of the bigger items on its agenda.

An application from Blackstone Development Group Inc., to create a 209-lot subdivision on approximately 58.5 acres in Lompa Ranch was continued to an unknown date while recommendations for the city’s master plan were discussed but the commission did not take action.

Lee Plemel, director, Community Development, said staff is working with Public Works on a capacity plan analysis and wanted to complete that before bringing master plan recommendations forward for the commission to forward to the supervisors.

But Plemel outlined several zoning map amendments that would likely come up when the item comes back, probably in January.

On Dean Court, between Arrowhead Drive and Northgate Lane, the less than one-acre parcels are zoned single-family once-acre, requiring setbacks that are impossible to meet so city staff is recommending a zoning change to single-family 12,000 square feet.

Staff also recommends taking a look at the area around College Parkway and I-580, where there is a lot of retail development and more is anticipated. The land is designated as commercial in the master plan, but some of it is zoned light industrial.

The third area staff wants to re-evaluate is the Cochise Street vicinity in south Carson City. The master plan designates as it as commercial and most of it is currently zoned single-family one acre, but much of the interest in the area is in denser residential development, including multifamily units.

The commission also approved a special use permit for a 2,000 square foot accessory structure to be built at 4444 Center Drive.