Should Lakewood Allow Tattoo Parlors?
At least a few residents would like to see a 1996 ordinance reversed to allow residents to get inked without leaving the city limits.
By way of an aggressive law, passed seven years ago, there are no tattoo shops in Lakewood.
However, there’s been some recent movement to change that.
Shawn Nutting, a Lakewood resident and tattoo artist in Elyria, spoke up at a recent city council meeting to encourage council members to take a second look at the law.
“I think it’s an outdated thing,” he said. “I am surprised, especially with how many people have tattoos and how common it is.”
The city has a 1996 ordinance on the books, making it next-to-impossible for a tattoo parlor to open in the city.
The major roadblock is a portion of the legislation requiring any prospective tattoo parlor to staff a medical doctor on-site at all times during open hours.
“What medical doctor would oversee tattoos?” Nutting said. “I think that was done before there were many health department regulations.”
“If you don’t know anything about tattooing, you might think it’s a health issue. I understand why it was (included in the regulation). It’s completely understandable, but I think this this could be a benefit to the city.”
Some city officials recently said the law isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
If at all.
That doesn’t sit well with Nutting, who said he’s already gotten some feedback from council members.
He staying optimistic.
“Tattooing is like any other small business,” Nutting said. “We sell products, people pay for them. And they pay tax.”
“It’s not like 1,000 shops would open overnight. There’s only so much Lakewood.”
What do you think? Is it time to revisit the tattoo parlor ban in Lakewood? Take our poll.
Chris Olsen
6:49 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
give me a break......a medical doctor on staff at all times ? I would like to know if that happens anywhere else in the world???? too much big brother here.....
Chris
6:57 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
I agree with Chris. Outdated law needs revisiting.
Alexandra
7:41 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
No, don't need that here. What next, strip clubs? No thanks!
Daniel Lenhart
9:04 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Are you kidding? Since when does a tattoo parlor have anything to do with a strip club? This isn't 1950 anymore. 36% of people between 18 and 25 have one. Forty percent between 25 and 40 have one. This isn't your grandfather's back alley tattoo parlor anymore. There's state health regulations to deal with. It's more mainstream than you realize.
If Lakewood wants to stay known as a progressive city, then they need to update this law.
Matthew Scott
11:34 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Right, because tattoo parlors and strip clubs are exactly the same. Only the scum of society like to look at boobies and get inked. I bet you're one of the folks that voted for the McDonald's blight on Detroit.
Jim Smith
6:29 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
We could vote for McDonald's?
Paul Grimm
9:24 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Again - what's wrong with strip clubs? They are tax-paying businesses that can fill empty storefronts. Lakewood already has plenty of bars that have burlesque shows and other promotions not much different than a strip club. Heck Lakewood even has a store that sells stripper clothes next to the fire station on Madison.
Amanda Gunnels
7:54 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Ha! Strip Clubs? That has nothing to do with opening a tattoo shop. That comment sounds about as outdated as the ordinance Lakewood needs to drop and forget about. I am good with opening any honest, small business in the city. Go for it.
Angel Whitman Neal
8:32 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Why are we always the "Thumbs Down" town for everything except bars. If Lakewood wants to attract and keep residents in the city, we need to move forward and listen to what residents want their city to offer. Business bring jobs and pay taxes and in this economy the more money that STAYS in Lakewood, the better it is for all of us.
1
9:21 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Lakewood doesn't think twice about the crime and drugs taking over the city block by block from the east.....but a tattoo parlor scares them to death. People here have strange priorities.
kris
9:59 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
the strip club comment is funny. really funny.
DLSJR
11:14 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Will bring strip clubs? Alright June Cleaver.. I own a few store fronts in lakewood and would be happy to have them as a renter. We as Lakewood support the arts, why not this art? @ m.z.1. you are correct on the countless amount of drug dealers on the east side of Clifton. Just hang out in front of Hidden Village/Executive House (new dealer on first floor apartment at E.H. just follow the foot steps in the snow, and they are not the first to deal out their windows or on that side of building), and the bus stop on the corner of Fry and Clifton.
JR Suttmiller
11:18 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Business is business! Anything that fills empty storefronts should be welcomed!!
Shelley
4:13 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
You obviously DO NOT own property here. They put a McDonalds across the end of my street and they have been tearing down home and cannot collect property taxes as they used to because our properties are worth NOTHING. You all can say what you want and then move while we are stuck here with a mortgage in a crappy neighborhood with a house worth nothing. Only property owners should get a vote on this one. Enough already! If you don't have anything to lose on this you shouldn't have a vote. We have everything to lose. We are paying the property taxes for the schools and roads and the reason they are going down is the stupid rezoning going on. Think before you leap and go get your tattoos everywhere else like the rest of us.
Paul Grimm
12:55 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
What's wrong with strip clubs?
Jimmy Williams
11:32 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
The whole strip club thing is ridiculous....I can walk to two separate head shops and buy a crack stem but a tattoo parlor is undesirable? I myself have started looking into getting this law removed last year......
.
12:04 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
Would you put a bumper sticker on a ferrari?
1
3:30 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
No worries (dot) - Lakewood isn't close to a Ferrari town.
Rob Shearer
1:10 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
This law and this attitude are antiquated. I would much rather see a tatoo artist's studio than any of the several empty storefronts in Lakewood. Though I do not personally have a tatoo, several of my friends and family do. Among them are university professors, architects, and engineers. Can we please stop judging books by thier covers people?
Paul Grimm
3:45 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
Pending Approval
Chris
4:18 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I DO own property here, and I live in the "less desirable" east end from you Shelley and having a tattoo parlor would be fine with me.. as stated by many others here it is better than empty store fronts. Local businesses provide income for employees, rent payments to landlords and taxes paid to the city by the way. I personally would not get a tattoo, but I could care less if others do.. and many of my upstanding, educated, responsible HOME OWNING friends and neighbors do have tattoos. You may be surprised who decides to put a little art on their body.
Shelley
5:22 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
Chris how under water are you on your mortgage due to changes in zoning by the city? Wouldn't it be great if we could attract people to buy homes here instead of destroying the ones for sale here on "the good end". We who purchased in the 1990's and prior to were baited and switched with the zoning and now we are attracting only section 8 renters as that is our only option if we want to move. We can rent it out for what we owe only to the gov't as there are rentals galore. Now, back to your empty storefronts. What businesses want to move into a section 8 neighborhood and try and make a go of it? We need to attract home owners and quit re-zoning. THE POINT IS, people who purchased their homes here were promised they would not have a tattoo parlor at the end of their street as I was promised I would not have a drive thru fast food chain.. You have no idea the negative effect of the McDonalds. Further changes may dissuade people from buying here or encourage more people to move and fill their home with section 8 renters. Some of them may be lovely. In my experience, in 3 years they completely trashed the house across the street. 9 teens on the porch going to our schools every morning & the police were out front every night chasing them. My child could not play outside for many reasons. They hit and ran cars on the street. It went on until the house was unlivable. You need good purchasers before we will attract good businesses Chris.
The original Bill
4:42 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
No thanks
Barbara Greene
5:08 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
Keep the ordinance: no tattoo parlors! If you want a tattoo, surely driving past the Lakewood city limits is not a big sacrifice. They draw a bad element and I don't want them here, affecting my safety and property values.
Pete Nice
6:17 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
HA affect your safety? Get real!
Angel Whitman Neal
7:36 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
So all the bars that are allowed to take up residence here aren't a bigger threat to your safety? Let alone the influence it has on all the kids going past them in our walking school district?
Shelley
8:50 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
The difference Angel is that people purchase their homes with the bars clearly there upon time of purchase. People often like being able to walk to a bar with the laws being what they are, some don't. That will be the difference of who commits 30 yrs of property and income taxes to a particular street. As it is now EVERY HOME OWNER IN LAKEWOOD BOUGHT THEIR HOME WITH THIS ORDINANCE INTACT. It is unfair to change it without our comfort level. I would have to research where others are located as I don't see them as a danger. But I have no proof one way or another. I suspect most people on here don't either.
K M Smith
8:56 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
Shelley - the ordinance isn't very old and many people have owned their homes longer than this. I'm not sure that many people cared one way or the other on this particular issue. I didn't even realize it was a law when I purchased my home. Further, laws are meant to change with the will of the people. Just as the will of the people in the late 90's said they didn't want parlors... If enough people decide they want it changed back to allowing them, so be it. That's why we live in a democracy.
Adam
7:38 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I didn't even realize this law existed preventing tattoo shops in Lakewood.. definitely outdated and should be reevaluated.. tattoo shops are a far leap from strip clubs, and wouldn't draw any worse patrons than the many bars that Lakewood is home to
K M Smith
8:36 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I haven't done research on the demographic attracted to tattoo parlors or if it increases crime or decreases property values. I'd be interested in anything legitimate anyone has to offer... but I am venturing a guess that it's not the demographic you think and that it doesn't have the effect you're assuming. Any time I've driven past a parlor in other cities, I've not seen people hanging out outside or doing anything questionable.
Lakewood struggles to have variety of business and in filling retail space. I don't see what a tattoo parlor would harm. It's certainly got to be better than yet another chain fast food restaurant or dollar store. These are entrepreneurial people who have returning business over a long period of time. They pay taxes, follow health codes and their customers spend their money at other businesses while they're here.
Like many things Lakewood says no to... I don't see what the big deal is.
1. I know lawyers and doctors and other perfectly "respectable" people who have tattoo's all over. You don't know it, because you don't see them.
2. People who have tattoo's have money to buy tattoos.
3. It's totally acceptable to have tattoos. It's not something only "unsavory" or "criminal elements" do. It is a form of self expression, much the same as how you do your hair or the clothes you wear.
Shelley
9:17 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
KM 17 yrs is quite awile. How long have you owned your home here? For me it has been 18 yrs. I agree with you in regards to the democracy. Unfortunately you are unfamiliar with how Lakewood does things. The zoning board and city council votes, not the homeowners. I would welcome a vote similar to when Cozumel wanted a liquor license. It was on the ballot. Let a tattoo parlor propose a plan and location and we can vote. I would likely be unopposed.
K M Smith
9:23 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I am familiar with how things are done. Thank you for clarifying though for those who aren't. We elect people to council to represent us. It is our job to let them know what we want. If we don't feel they are representing us, then someone else should be voted in. Theoretically, you can get something to vote, but it requires a lot of work. 17 years is a while. I'm glad you care and are still passionate. Lakewood needs more people like that.
DLSJR
10:07 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I agree zoning in Lakewood makes little sense. The city screwed my friend by going back on their word, and now has left a vacant property on Detroit. Best thing I heard this past year was the mayor complaining about the vacant lot. He was apart of the assinnine decision too. It's funny we have a whole apartment building that is a halfway house, but it's unsafe to have a tattoo parlor in our city. Has anyone ever drove past a tattoo shop and said to yourself, "there are some shady looking people hanging outside that place". I have not. Have you ever driven by Bobby Os at 9am? Now there are some shady looking people. I'd rather have a tattoo parlor.
Silvia Weber
4:42 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I would rather a tattoo parlor was next to my business than Calanni Auto Service.
Gabrielle McKernan
1:43 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tattoos are permanent body art, what is the difference between having this kind of art shop or any of the other art stores in Lakewood? I think it would bring successful businesses to Lakewood. I vote yes!
1
6:07 pm on Monday, March 4, 2013
Lakewood is the perfect place for a tattoo parlor. Perfect.