BANFF – Approval of a new tattoo studio in downtown Banff has raised the decades-old debate of appropriate uses and businesses in the national park townsite.
Banff’s Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a development permit on Wednesday (Nov. 18) for a change of use that paves the way for the tattoo shop to replace a former dental hygiene office in Harmony Lane.
But two commissioners, including the Parks Canada representative, raised questions about how this business fits within the purposes and objectives of Banff’s community plan and incorporation agreement.
Darren Enns, the Town of Banff’s director of planning and development, said the incorporation agreement speaks to the purposes of the Town of Banff “and that’s a very broad statement.”
“Were the drafters of that statement envisioning somebody selling maps to the backcountry, sandwiches for take-away or helping people get inked when they come to the park?” he said.
“The reality is that that park users are a vast range of individuals and some will come out to enjoy a hike and others will come out to enjoy a nightclub, which are very different experiences from a national park perspective.”
Specifically, there are five purposes and objectives for the Banff townsite outlined in the incorporation agreement, which set Banff up as a special Alberta municipality within a national park.
The townsite is to serve primarily as a centre for park visitors, offering accommodation and other goods and services, and to provide the widest possible range of interpretive and orientation services to visitors.
In addition, the town must keep community character consistent with and reflective of the surrounding environment, provide a comfortable living place for residents with a need-to-reside, and maintain the townsite within a world heritage site.
“My feeling has always been that that piece of the incorporation agreement was written with sawmills in mind, in terms of what’s appropriate as a businesses in a national park,” Enns said. “Clearly that would not be appropriate, and so we’ve tried to err on the side of permissiveness, but not abuse.”
The discussion of appropriate uses and businesses has long been controversial within the community, including when Banff’s first and only other tattoo parlour – Perfect Image located on Bear Street – was approved in 2007.
Earlier this month, conservationists once again brought up the philosophical discussion of appropriate use when it comes to special events in Banff, particularly those that are commercial in nature.
Enns said the Town’s planning department considers development permit applications on a case-by-case basis, noting the municipality has traditionally taken a holistic view of how people want to enjoy the national park in different ways.
“It’s a great conversation to have and we’ve never nailed that down,” Enns said. “I think both Parks and the Town have never gotten to what’s called the ‘appropriate use’ discussion.”
The tattoo studio, to be called Rundle Mountain Ink, will be located on the second floor of Harmony Lane on the 100 block of Banff Avenue. The plan is to have the new business open in the first week in January 2021.
Applicant Ron Giesbrecht, who has lived in the Bow Valley for 20 years, said he believes there is room in Banff to offer a locally owned, operated and managed tattoo studio for residents and visitors.
He said he wants to help build a culture within the community of working with different local charity groups and supporting other local artists in the Bow Valley, adding the new business aims to take care of “mind, body and soul.”
“Our mission is to provide Banff locals and visitors with the same amazing memorable experience the Bow Valley has provided for us,” Giesbrecht said.
“We aim to deliver a safe, enjoyable environment for everyone, including our talented and much appreciated staff.”
The development permit for the change of use from professional financial, health and office services to personal service shop, allows the use to change from dental hygiene office to a tattoo studio.
Under the land use bylaw, a personal service shops mean services related to the care and appearance of the body, or the cleaning and repair of personal effects. This includes barbershops, hairdressers, beauty salons, tailors, dressmakers and shoe repair.
It also includes dry-cleaning establishments and laundromats, but does not include medical treatment services.
Emma Sanborn said the change of use is consistent with the purpose of the commercial downtown land use district as well Banff community plan objective to provide an appropriate mix of services that meet the long-term needs of visitors and residents.
“I saw the connection there that tattoo services are something that visitors and residents seek,” Sanborn said. “In a way, these accomplish a diversity of commercial opportunities for visitors and residents within the townsite.”
