Heber City has officially voted in favor of allowing tattoo shops within the town, marking a significant shift in local policy. On June 3, the City Council approved a change in the city’s zoning code, allowing tattoo and body art facilities to operate legally within the town.
This decision came after a months-long campaign led by Oakley Franklin, a local tattoo artist, and her mother, Julie, who worked with the City Council and Heber City Planning Commission to advocate for the change. Tattoo shops had been banned in Heber City since February 2012, with the ban reinforced by a code rewrite in 2022. However, one shop, Trigger Happy Tattoo & Art Co., was able to open despite the restriction.
The issue was brought to the City Council after the Planning Commission’s May meeting, where members explored the original reasons behind the ban. Under the 2012 ordinance, tattoo shops were classified alongside “sexually oriented businesses,” which the City Council and Planning Commission had worked to prohibit.
Tori Broughton, Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, voiced her support for the change, stating that allowing tattoo shops to operate openly would help “bring them into the light” rather than pushing them to the outskirts of the city. “Driving it to the edges and into the industrial zones is actually what turns those areas into seedier areas,” she argued, emphasizing that tattoo businesses should be allowed in both commercial and industrial zones.
Franklin, whose mother considers her both an artist and a professional tattooist, reassured the council that the tattoo community in Heber City would not promote “offensive” art. As a realism artist, Franklin expressed her intention to focus on portraits and meaningful tattoos, stating, “I think the majority of art we would see is something beautiful.”
Councilor Yvonne Barney also supported the decision, noting that tattoos could be “beautiful pieces of art.” However, she raised concerns about ensuring the right standards were maintained. “My only concern is that we protect ourselves and our community from individuals who do not have the same intentions as Oakley has,” she added.
Councilor Mike Johnston echoed Barney’s sentiment, expressing that he had “no concern” about tattoos or tattoo artists. “I really think this is much ado about nothing. It’s not offensive to me,” Johnston remarked.
In a unanimous vote, the City Council approved the code change, officially lifting the ban on tattoo shops and welcoming body art facilities into the town. This decision reflects a growing acceptance of tattooing as both an art form and a legitimate business in Heber City.
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