Sycamore City Council set to consider special use zoning changes for tattoo parlors

SYCAMORE – Brian Fleetwood, tattoo artist and eventual owner of Spider Tattooz, said late Sycamore alderman and tattoo artist Rick “Spider” Kramer was the one who got him started in the tattoo business about 15 years ago.

Fleetwood said he worked with Kramer before Kramer’s shop moved from Belvidere to Sycamore about 10 years ago. He said keeping Kramer’s legacy alive is why it means so much to him to try to get the shop back in business after a fire and keep the name for the shop.

“Keeping the name of the shop going, and even just continuing my career – it’s really important,” Fleetwood said. “He loved Sycamore and I’m a native Sycamoran … and he was big part of the community. I just want to keep it going and keep doing what we’ve been doing for the past 10 years in Sycamore.”

Fleetwood’s comments come after the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted, 10-0, on Monday to recommend the City Council approve classifying tattoo parlors as a special use in certain zoning districts, Sycamore City Manager Brian Gregory and Sycamore City Clerk Mary Kalk confirmed via email on Tuesday. The proposed changes would mean Spider Tattooz could relocate in certain available business spaces on the main floor as opposed to only being limited to the second floor in some districts.

Fleetwood said he is looking at some possible new locations for the shop, one being just four buildings away from the current location that suffered damage from a fire in the laundromat below the shop in September.

“So I’m just trying to get that [special use tattoo parlor classification] changed and get a new location for us,” Fleetwood said.

Commissioners Sarah Gallagher Chami and Dave Finney were absent from the Monday meeting, Gregory and Kalk also confirmed.

Fleetwood said he was glad to hear the commission vote in favor of the special use change for tattoo parlors in the city. However, he said, he knows the work isn’t done yet and there’s still at least one more city meeting before the change becomes official.

“It’s a lot of stress taken off,” Fleetwood said. “I feel great now, but it’ll only be for another day, and then I’ll be stressing about the next step all over again until the next meeting.”

City officials confirmed the matter is set to go before a City Council vote during the council’s next meeting scheduled for Monday via Zoom. Fleetwood said he plans to attend the City Council meeting via Zoom.

The tattoo shop update comes after city officials and Kramer’s family members gathered for the ceremonial planting of a tree in memory of Kramer on Saturday. The Sycamore City Council initially came up with the idea of a living memorial for Kramer and found a spot for the tree where more people could see it.

Second Ward Alderman Pete Paulsen said the tree is an Autumn Fantasy maple tree, which turns vibrant red in the fall. He said that tree choice is appropriate, given Kramer’s firefighter background.

“I think we needed to show [Kramer’s wife] Gloria that we really appreciated everything he’s done on the council but outside of the council, too,” Paulsen said. “He’ll be missed.”