A Columbus businessman is questioning the fairness of an Uptown Columbus zoning ordinance. The ordinance required him to move his tattooing business off of Broadway.

A gift shop is opening up in the space where Falcon's Tattoos use to be. The owner of Falcon's says he had hoped to move across the street in another building.

"After being there 6 years with no problems I didn't think that it would be that difficult just to move across the street but when I did do it went to get my license found out they had changed the zoning and there was no more tattoos studios allowed to open Broadway," says Fred "Falcon" Sibary of Falcon's Tattoos.

Falcon had no idea Columbus had changed its zoning ordinance, being grandfathered in. But once he gave up his lease for across the street he lost that and was forced to move to Veterans Parkway. Planning director Rick Jones says Columbus envisions other uses for Broadway like arts, residential, and retail.

"Everybody needs to understand that conditions do change in the community. Ordinances do change and everybody need to stay alert to that affect," says Jones.

But Falcon, who's shop has earned a number of community service and storefront appearance awards thinks its not fair. "If you go ask the people down there they all loved us..we never had any trouble," he says.

The block that Falcon's moved off of contains more than 10 restaurants and bars. Some can't comprehend why getting a buzz is acceptable but getting a tattoo or body piercing isn't.

I think that's a little silly to keep bars where that's a lot more dangerous. Lets keep more danger in downtown when all getting a tattoo really is permanent ink on your body," says Elliott Mchugh.

The owner of Falcon's does have the right to challenge the ordinance. But at this point he has no plans to do so because the building on Veteran's Parkway is a better building than what Broadway could offer.

by Roszell Gadson

rgadson@wvtm.com