03-11-202 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff Report To: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council From: Heidi Heller, City Clerk/HR Manager Date: March 11, 2026 Re: Ordinance 932, Amending City Code Ch. 822, Tattoo-Body Art Action To Be Considered: Motion to approve, table, or deny the following: • Ordinance 932, Amending City Code Chapter 822, Tattoo-Body Art, and approve publication of a summary ordinance Background: At the February 25, 2026, Workshop, the Council discussed amending the City Code related to tattoo business licensing. The code requires any business offering tattooing, body piercing, or other forms of body art, including microblading or semi-permanent make-up, to have a city license. Currently, only one regular tattoo shop is allowed, but there is no limit on the number of licenses that can be issued for businesses offering microblading or semi-permanent make-up. Staff received a request to increase the number of regular tattoo business licenses so that staff providing semi- permanent make-up services could also offer regular tattoos to their customers. Since 2013, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has licensed body art technicians and body piercing technicians, along with body art establishments. Individuals with a state body art license can perform any type of tattooing—there is no license distinction between regular tattoos, permanent make-up, or microblading. There was Council consensus to increase the number of allowed tattoo licenses and to have the City Code amendments brought forward at a future City Council meeting. Staff has drafted Ordinance 932, which amends City Code Chapter 822, Tattoo-Body Art. The amendments proposed include: • Adding a definition of tattoo parlor and tattoo shop • Removing the exception for a city license for ear piercing with jewelry sales – no state or city license is required for ear-only piercing • Only the city license applicant will be subject to a background check. The city license is for the business, not individual employees. Individuals who are licensed by MDH, including the establishment licensee, are thoroughly screened before being approved for a state license. • Requiring the city license holder to ensure that all employees who are performing any body art have a valid MDH license, and those licenses must be available at all times for inspection. • Remove the limitation of only 2 clients at a time • Increasing the number of allowed tattoo licenses from one to five