BANFF – Banff’s Municipal Planning Commission has inked approval for a new tattoo shop in town.
On Wednesday (Oct. 12), the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) unanimously approved a change of use application to turn a space in the Sundance Mall at 215 Banff Ave. from general retail to personal service shop to make way for the new tattoo business.
Emma Sanborn, development planner for the Town of Banff, said an objective of Banff’s community plan is to provide an appropriate mix of commercial services that meet the long-term needs of visitors and residents.
“The proposed development is consistent with this objective as it will serve both residents and visitors,” she said.
Jon T. from Perfect Image Tattoos and Piercings at 226 Bear Street – which is part of a small chain of stores in the United States and Canada – wrote a letter to the Town of Banff protesting approval of a new tattoo shop.
“It came to our attention that a new shop is trying to open right next door to us. That would be very bad for business, especially after all the difficult moments we’ve had between employees trying to shut us down, COVID and construction on Bear Street,” he wrote.
“We were able to survive and are finally in a good place. We would really appreciate if the Town of Banff could have our best interest by not letting another tattoo shop open right next door to us or even in the same proximity.”
Commissioner Hugh Pettigrew, who is a council representative on MPC, asked administration if there were any restrictions in the land use bylaw that would allow the commission to turn down the change of use application for a new tattoo shop.
“I don’t see anything, but do we have any leeway?” he said.
Sanborn said there is nothing in the bylaw to limit personal service shops.
“It exists with general cannabis retail, but not with other use types,” she said.
Under the land use bylaw, the proposed tattoo business is considered a personal service shop, which is a discretionary use in the commercial downtown land use district.
Barbershops, hairdressers, beauty salons, tailors, dressmakers, shoe repair shops, dry-cleaning and laundromats fall under personal services, but medical treatment services do not.
Sanborn said administration deems this application to be consistent with the land use bylaw and definition of personal service shop.
“It is anticipated that the proposed use would be compatible with the neighbouring uses due to the location within the existing building and complimentary to the existing uses on site which include eating and drinking establishments, general retail and storefront cannabis retail,” she said.
