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PEEKSKILL, N.Y. -- The Common Council unanimously adopted two pieces of legislation on issues it had been debating for several months: tattoo parlors and chicken coops.
The resolution that legalizes tattoo studios to the city does so as a special permit use in the C-1 and C-1A shopping center districts, C-2 central commercial district, M-1 light industrial district, M-2 general industrial district, M-2A design industrial district, and M-3 industrial park district.
The resolution lists a number of rules and regulations that tattoo parlors and artists must abide by, such as:
- City tattoo studios shall possess New York State tattooist permits under Article 4-A of the State Public Health Law.
- Tattoo artists must possess a current tattooist license from another municipality in New York State and shall not be a convicted felon.
- Tattoo studios shall produce evidence and maintain public liability insurance covering its operations in the minimum coverage amount of $1,000,000.
- No tattooist shall tattoo a minor.
"It's been long in the making," said Mayor Mary Foster. "We certainly had a lot of discussion and public participation in developing the local law and we thank everyone who weighed in on various forms."
The full resolution can be viewed here.
The second piece of legislation sets rules for residents looking to keep a chicken coop with up to four chickens and no roosters on their property, and includes the following rules:
- No person shall keep hens and erect or maintain a chicken coop unless they have been granted a permit by the city building inspector. Written, signed consent from all adjoining property owners is required prior to issuance of a permit.
- The first permit year shall be Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Thereafter the permit year shall be Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. In the first permit year, no more than 10 permits shall be issued. In each subsequent permit year, 10 new permits may be issued, with a total number not to exceed fifty 50 permits.
- The city building inspector reserves the right to inspect the premises to ensure that the terms and conditions on this chapter are being met on a continuing basis. Failure to adhere to these terms and conditions may result in a revocation of the permit, and an order from the building inspector to remove the hens and any materials or structures related to the keeping of hens.
Councilman Andrew Torres said that parts of New York City already allow chicken coops and the new law will give residents more nutritional and economic choices.
"We are just trying to do something to allow people to have fresh eggs," Torres said. "I know feed has gotten expensive, but people that wanted it will take care of it."
The full resolution can be viewed here.
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