01-04-2025
Reasons given for cancellation of Greenville tattoo event
Greenville City Attorney Daniel Ray recently shed some light on why the inaugural Ink Slingers Tattoo Expo – originally scheduled for this month – was canceled.
The main reason centered around the fact that the planned location for the expo was Fletcher Warren Civic Center, which is surrounded by land zoned for single-family residences. And since the event would include actual tattooing on the premises and the sale of tattoo-related supplies, it would require a zoning of industrial or light industrial.
At last week's city council meeting, Ray also said that he checked with the Department of State Health Services to see if the city could apply for some kind of temporary permit to allow tattooing at the civic center and was told the state would not grant such a permit. Therefore, the only way the venue could be used for the event would be if there was a change to the zoning.
Additionally, a zoning change to industrial or light industrial would likely result in a reduction in property values, which would leave the city vulnerable to spot zoning lawsuits.
Ray also noted that even if an alternative location is proposed for a tattoo convention in the future, the city would have to make sure everything is in compliance with zoning and licensing before it can go further with the event planning – a process that could take several months.
