The Jefferson City Planing and Zoning Commission has said that tattoo studios should be allowed to open up wherever they want in the downtown area.
By a unanimous vote, they turned down a proposal that would have allowed the current two tattoo businesses to stay downtown, but would have allowed no others to come in.
In the city staff analysis that was presented to the commission, it stated, "Recently, concerns have been expressed regarding future concentrations of tattoo and body piercing shops, particularly in downtown."
When asked by commission members if there had been any problems since the ordinance came about in January, city staff said there had been none.
Fourth Ward Councilman Carrie Carroll, who sponsored the original tattoo proposal and is a downtown business owner herself, urged the commission not to ban more tattoo parlors from coming, saying there was no good argument for it.
Also arguing against this was Mark Pulliam, owner of Cadillac Ink Tattoo Co. on Ash Street, who said he couldn't ever see Jefferson City being able to support more than four tattoo shops.
No one spoke in favor of the downtown ban proposal.
Currently, along with Pulliam's shop and the two downtown shops, there is also a shop in an industrial district of the city.
There was an effort to also allow tattoo shops in C-1 zoning, known as neighborhood/ commercial and includes areas such as Capital Mall. But that motion was voted down.
The measure now goes on to the City Council for its consideration.