The changes come as recommendations from the Planning Commission, which unanimously approved two Unified Development Ordinance Text Amendments for both types of establishments on Oct. 22.
The amendments for tattoo and piercing parlors would allow for more businesses to open in the City of Fredericksburg, as current development is limited.
Restrictions limit tattoo and piercing parlors from operating within 500 feet of a residential district and are only permitted by-right in commercial districts with a special use permit.
“[It’s a] pretty straightforward text amendment,” Zoning Administrator Kelly Machen told the Planning Commission. “We’re increasing which areas it’s allowed in, removing the need for a special use permit and putting some hours of operation restrictions on there.”
And, if approved, this amendment would only allow these businesses to operate between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Machen explained that only one of the six establishments in the city conforms to Fredericksburg’s current regulations.
“With the 500-foot buffer, only a small handful of parcels can permit a new tattoo/piercing establishment within the city, specifically, on a few parcels immediately around the Interstate 95 interchange, by the fairgrounds on Dixon Street and at the City/Spotsylvania boundary on U.S. Route 1,” the staff report states.
The Planning Commission also unanimously approved changes to the unified ordinance for daycares, which includes adult daycare, childcare centers and family day homes. The staff report states these amendments would allow for additional flexibility when establishing these businesses in the city.
“This magazine [American Planning Association’s June 2025 issue] states that ‘access to affordable, high-quality childcare is vital to a child’s heal[th] and well-being and a family’s financial stability,'” the staff report cites. “… Updating zoning regulations to make them more childcare-friendly is noted as one of the biggest impacts communities can have to create a supportive environment for childcare facilities. Zoning regulations can unintentionally act as daunting, cost-prohibitive barriers to establishing a childcare center.”
The staff report defined the types of facilities as such:
- Adult daycare: “These uses are limited to the care of four or more aged, infirm, or disabled adults, as defined by state code.”
- Childcare center: “In general, the use includes the care of two or more children, under the age of 13, in a non-residential facility.”
- Family day home: “The UDO describes Family-Day Homes as care of children under 13 within the residence of the provided for one through five or 12 children, with the total number of children cared for split between the definitions of Child-Care Centers and Family-Day Homes.”
Machen noted that the updated ordinance would allow family day homes to take up to 12 children, and require them to get written notice for six to 12 children. Adult daycare centers will also require a special use permit for more than 12 adults in specific zoning districts.
Other amendments include allowing the same permitted zoning districts for adult daycare and childcare centers, childcare centers to operate in commercial-transitional districts and family day homes to operate in zones with single-family homes.
“[I] really appreciate that being broadened a little bit, and to assure everyone the regulations for adult daycare are significant,” Commissioner Jane McDonald said at the Oct. 22 meeting. “It’s not like there’s going to be an influx of providers coming — [though] I wish there were for adults that need that respite.”
