Battle brewing over proposed North Bend tattoo shop
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NORTH BEND, Wash. -- A local tattoo artist says he played by the rules when he tried to open a new business in North Bend, but he claims the city destroyed those plans by changing the rules at the last minute.
David Herman recently relocated his Ambrosia Tattoo Gallery from Redmond to North Bend. He already singed a lease and is 95 percent moved in to his new space, but now Herman finds himself in a desperate situation.
"I'm totally devastated, to be honest with you," Herman said.
Herman claims the city blindsided him when the council rushed a new ordinance to ban the tattoo shop he planned on opening next month.
"I went there, followed all their laws, and then they tell me they're changing the laws and goodbye," he said.
City administrator Londi Lindell insists city leaders have nothing against tattoos, but said the real issue is where the city prefers tattoo parlors to be located.
Lindell said the council realized its long-standing ban on tattoo businesses in the historic downtown area did not cover at-home businesses, which Herman was about to open.
"I think residential communities have an expectation that their communities remain residential," Lindell said. "And our downtown is located next to several residential communities."
Lindell said Herman is welcome to bring his business to North Bend, but only in the appropriate zone. She also said Herman started moving into his shop before getting his business license, which was eventually rejected.
For his part, Herman said some city officials gave him the impression the license wouldn't be a problem.
"(They said) 'This is a no brainer. Go over, put your license in and it'll be approved,'" he said.
David Herman recently relocated his Ambrosia Tattoo Gallery from Redmond to North Bend. He already singed a lease and is 95 percent moved in to his new space, but now Herman finds himself in a desperate situation.
"I'm totally devastated, to be honest with you," Herman said.
Herman claims the city blindsided him when the council rushed a new ordinance to ban the tattoo shop he planned on opening next month.
"I went there, followed all their laws, and then they tell me they're changing the laws and goodbye," he said.
City administrator Londi Lindell insists city leaders have nothing against tattoos, but said the real issue is where the city prefers tattoo parlors to be located.
Lindell said the council realized its long-standing ban on tattoo businesses in the historic downtown area did not cover at-home businesses, which Herman was about to open.
"I think residential communities have an expectation that their communities remain residential," Lindell said. "And our downtown is located next to several residential communities."
Lindell said Herman is welcome to bring his business to North Bend, but only in the appropriate zone. She also said Herman started moving into his shop before getting his business license, which was eventually rejected.
For his part, Herman said some city officials gave him the impression the license wouldn't be a problem.
"(They said) 'This is a no brainer. Go over, put your license in and it'll be approved,'" he said.
 Historic downtown area?
Ugh. I feel bad for the city of North Bend. Londi Lindell is a puke.
@countyjerk,  you have such a profound way of getting your message across.  Londi Lindell is enforcing the county code which is her job. She is doing her job so yes, I guess that makes her a "puke". There is more to the story than the above few paragraphs.  North Bend is entitled to make any restrictions on businesses they want in the downtown area.  Big deal.  All cities can and have done this.  Maybe KOMO can do a little more digging and get the rest of the specifics and timelines correct. Â
I think North Bend pulled a fast one and this guy is being made a scapegoat.
They need to let him have his shop wherever. Get off your high horses and stop playing games.
I wonder if this would be different if the business was a hair salon.
@taxpro Well, definitely. There are many home businesses of this sort already in the downtown. The North Bend city council places tattoo parlors in a special category (legally speaking), alongside adult entertainment and shady short term lenders. It is an antiquated view, but they don't seem willing to acknowledge that.Â
Or a Real Estate office or an Investment Brokerage?
Huh? Â What difference does it make where tattoo parlors are located? Â That whole downtown North Bend area looks to be bordered by houses.....why can a high-traffic business like the licensing department operate with no problem and a one-at-a-time business like this not get a permit? Â Makes no sense. Â Do they think someone will be getting their naked cheeks tattooed on the porch on Sundays or something? Â Tattoos ARE a pretty standard feature in our society today, time to get with the times, North Bend.
Glad he's not trying to move his business next door to me... just sayin.
@onlyme The most annoying phrase ever! "Just sayin"
@WhatdidIsay? @onlyme No, the most annoying phrases are, "Everything happens for a reason." or "FACT!"
@WhatdidIsay? @onlyme Actually I find, "It is what it is" far more irritating. Just saying.
It's not like it's a business that has a high traffic volume or creates a lot of noise. Shame on North Bend.
City council doesn't like something, so they find a way to get rid of it. They ought to be ashamed. Someone has in their mind an old movie-esque image of a seedy smoke-filled tattoo joint with drunken sailors staggering in, when most of us know a reputable tat shop is nothing like that. It's 2013, time to stop thinking like it's 1973.
Hopefully something gets resolved soon, this is someone's life work and income, not a hobby he can push aside. Would have been a different matter if the regulations were in place already. What a bunch of wankers.
This particular home/business is right next door to North Bend Montessori, and just up the street from North Bend Elementary. (as well as Two Rivers alternative school) I'm not saying I agree with what the city did, but I imagine complaints from parents may have had something to do with it.Â
@LunchWithABear I guess I don't understand what parents are afraid of. Do they envision motorcycle gangs hanging out in the front lawn offering kids candy?
@Hountoof @LunchWithABear Quite likely that is what they are envisioning.Â
Again, I completely disagree with the decision made by the city council. I can't see any reason at all why there shouldn't be a tattoo parlor in that particular spot. (even though I'll have to *gasp* walk my kids by it when we're visiting their grandparents!) And while I certainly can't say for sure that "public input" was one of the factors that pushed the council to make the decision they did, as someone who lived in North Bend for 20 year and is the daughter of a former council member, let's just say it wouldn't surprise me.Â
Never believe anything Government bureaucrats say. They are either incompetent and don't know their own rules or they just plain lie. I hope he has the means to fight this. As EtSubmariner said below, open anyway.
Wait. All downtowns are "near" residential areas. Unless there is a moat separating them. He is either in downtown, or he's not. Â That really stinks to rush through an ordinance to specifically ban someone from doing business. So where is he welcome to do the work? Downtown? Wait.. he is downtown already. Â So the various businesses like piano lessons, and massage, and hair salons, that work out of commercial/residential businesses are not welcome? Or just a tattoo parlor? I'm not a tat person myself, but this seems like someone local is freaking out about the "clientele." Â
Does anyone believe this is conservative BS going on? No, it's the liberal crap that is destroying this country. Things will change as soon as conservatives are finally fed up.Â
@JTÂ
You seemed to be quite a confused person. You need to stop listening to Faux NewsÂ
@JTÂ Wait. What? Â Wow.. you need to step away from the hate radio for a few days. Â How would banning something like a tattoo parlor be a "liberal" thing? Â The republicans are the ones with their panties in a bunch about everything.Â
It's not a long standing ban when you pass something in an emergency session just before the guy is supposed to get his license.
http://www.valleyrecord.com/news/197191261.html
Under the city's code, this would have been allowed, they drug their feet so they could change the ordinance. Â Shame on you North Bend City council. Â
wow, what a raw deal. I feel bad for this guy - uprooted his entire livelihood only to face this BS.
Seriously?!  It's not like he's running a crack house - are we really that uptight about tattoos?  It's actually a pretty nice looking sign too - not like he posted up a pic of a tatted half naked woman or something... Â
@JusticeSeeker The whole house looks really nice, actually; I walked by it today. I definitely don't think North Bend would suffer from having this variety of art/business around.
@JusticeSeeker His signs appears to say he started in 1999, meaning at some level he is running a good business. nearly 14 years as a tattoo shop...most I see close quickly.
I wonder, is that "Long Standing ban on tattoo parlor's" written down anywhere? Â If not, get a lawyer.
Seems petty on the part of the City Council. Â
Are there any daycares in residential areas? Â They better be required to move their business out of the residential areas also.
@FBrumfield The thing is, it's really NOT residential, it's the true downtown - a mix of commercial/residential, and there are MANY little businesses operating out of cute historic houses, ranging from a used bookshop to a law firm to a dentist.  That particular argument is really unsound, as anyone who's walked around downtown North Bend knows perfectly well.
I wonder when he put the sign up in relation to when his business license got disapproved? If it went up before getting disapproved I bet you some resident put up a stink and the council changed their views and interpretations on his shop.Â
Thank the city for their concern. Â Open anyway. Â