Revere Planning Board backs zoning changes for tattoo shops, food trucks

By Barbara Taormina

The Planning Board voted to favorably recommend changes to zoning ordinances that will expand where body art shops and food trucks are welcome to operate. The City Council has already approved the changes and referred them to their zoning subcommittee for further review. Councillors felt that limiting tattoo shops to the TED district reflected an antiquated attitude.

“There should be no restrictions,” said Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro. “This is old legislation by people who didn’t know any better.”

The Planning Board did not oppose expanding where body art shops can locate; however, board member Hal Abrams amended the proposed ordinance change to include a provision that body art businesses must have proof of liability insurance and workers’ comp. “We want to make sure that once you start piercing someone’s body you have liability and workman’s comp,” he said.

The Planning Board also voted to favorably recommend expanding where food trucks can operate to include the PDD2 district. The City Council also approved of this ordinance change. Currently, food trucks are permitted in the RC2 district, highway business areas, and the technology enterprise district. The trucks need DCR permission for beach locations and License Commission approval elsewhere. While councillors raised concerns about noise from truck generators, several said food trucks promote local business and generate meals tax revenue.

Planning Board member Hal Abrams suggested tabling the proposed ordinance amendment. Abrams said rather than placing the trucks in different zones throughout the city, the focus should be on the grassy area at Revere Beach. He suggested a meeting with the mayor, community development, the DCR, and state reps to discuss a possible food truck haven with amenities such as a concrete base, water and electrical connections to cut down generator noise, which has been a problem in the past.

“Revere Beach is one of the better places,” he said.

But Planning Board members felt the ordinance amendment and Abrams’ proposal for a meeting to consider Revere Beach as a food truck hub were both worthwhile ideas and not mutually exclusive.