The electric buzzing of tattoo machines may soon become a familiar sound now that planning officials have recommended expanding the business zones that allow tattoo shops to operate in Currituck.

The Currituck Planning Board agreed Tuesday to allow tattoo and/or piercing studios to operate in three additional zones: commercial, general business and light manufacturing. Previously, tattoo and piercing parlors were classified as adult and sexually oriented businesses and only allowed in heavy manufacturing districts.

The Planning Board?s recommendation must now go before the Board of Commissioners for its approval.

Last month, tattoo artist Steven Canady requested the county?s unified development ordinance be modified to reclassify tattoo studios and allow them to operate in more business zones.

The Planning Board tabled the request. But on Tuesday it agreed to a modified version of Canady?s request after he convinced the board that tattooing is an art form not associated with sexual activity.

The revised amendment allows tattoo and/or piercing studios to operate in the four zoning areas with conditional use permits. However, tattoo studios still can?t be located within 1,000 feet of housing units, schools or churches.

Both Canady and William Wolf, of Elizabeth City, who also is interested in opening a tattoo studio in Currituck, said the 1,000-foot buffer is too restrictive.

Wolf said isolating tatoo studios would encourage amateur tattoo artists to continue to operate. The restriction also increases the health risk for teens, he said, because they might be convinced to get their tattoos and body piercings from someone who doesn?t follow sanitary procedures.

?Don?t keep it underground,? Wolf said.

Canady assured the planning board that he wants to co-exist with the community and would promote public safety by encouraging people to get body piercings and tattoos from licensed professionals. He added that he would like to go to the schools to educate kids about the harmful risks of getting tattoos from people who don?t know what they?re doing.

The board also agreed to change language in the ordinance so that tattoo businesses are referred to as tattoo studios and not tattoo parlors. The board also agreed to change language in the ordinance so it no longer refers to tattoo studios as adult and sexually oriented businesses.