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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Nicholas Richard-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Staff
DATE: December 2nd, 2025
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of an ordinance amendment to Sec. 25-267 concerning the licensing requirements for Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishments to remove an obsolete County Health Department inspection requirement.
PURPOSE:
The proposed amendment to Section 25-267(g) is necessary to align the City Code with the actual regulatory framework governing tattoo and body piercing establishments in Kane County. This change will remove an obsolete and impossible-to-meet requirement for applicants to provide "a certificate of compliance with or inspection by the county health department." Since local health departments do not regulate these parlors, this amendment streamlines the licensing process, reduces staff time spent seeking non-existent documentation, and ensures the City's requirements are accurate and enforceable.
BACKGROUND:
The need for this amendment originates from the discovery that the Kane County Health Department does not regulate, inspect, or issue compliance certificates for tattoo and body piercing parlors. As a result, the requirement in Sec. 25-267 has been unenforceable. To maintain necessary public health oversight, City staff have already been requesting and accepting proof of a certificate from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), which is the actual regulatory authority. This ordinance amendment formalizes and corrects the City Code to reflect this necessary procedural change.
DISCUSSION:
This amendment ensures that the city's licensing requirements are clear and efficient for business owners, while maintaining the required standard of public health and safety through documentation of IDPH certification. This amendment has no direct financial cost to the City. The removal of the defunct requirement will slightly reduce administrative effort by eliminating the need for staff to address confusion and follow up on the missing County certification.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The City Clerk’s Office and the Legal Department will need to update the municipal code records and licensing forms to reflect the removal of Sec. 25-267. Staffing and procedures will be slightly simplified.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The request approval to enact the proposed ordinance to amend Sec. 25-267 by deleting the requirement in subsection (g) for a "certificate of compliance with or inspection by the county health department, as detailed in EXHIBIT A,
cc: Rules, Administration, and Procedure (RAP)
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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An Ordinance Amending Sec 25-267, Regarding Applications and Fees for Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishments.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the requirements for licensing Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishments as set forth in Chapter 25, Article VI, Section 25-267 of the City Code currently requires applicants to provide "a certificate of compliance with or inspection by the county health department" as a prerequisite for licensing; and
WHEREAS, the Kane County Health Department does not regulate, inspect, or issue compliance certificates for tattoo and body piercing establishments; and
WHEREAS, the requirement specified in Section 25-267(g) is therefore obsolete and causes undue administrative confusion for both City staff and applicants; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
Section 1: That the City Council hereby amends Chapter 25, Article VI, Section 25-267 of the Code of Ordinances entitled "Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishments," as more fully described in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein, by deleting the following language in subsection (g): "and a certificate of compliance with or inspection by the county health department."
Section 2: That this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect, and shall be controlling, upon its passage and approval.
Section 3: That all Ordinances or part of Ordinances in herewith are hereby repealed insofar as any conflict exists.
Section 4: That any section, phrase or paragraph of this Ordinance that is construed to be invalid, void or unconstitutional shall not affect the remaining sections, phrases or paragraphs of this Ordinance which shall remain in full force and effect.