City Council Pushes Through Massage Regulations (Video)

City council voted 1-4 Wednesday night to initiate amendments to the zoning code to require that any new personal service establishment in town apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which would restrict where the business can operate. 

This vote comes on the heels of a 2009 state law that aimed to legitimize the massage profession and crack down on prostitution rings. The law put into effect the California Massage Therapy Council, which offers but does not require masseuses to be certified by the state.

"I was so happy when the State passed the law allowing us to have ONE license (because before I had to have a new license for every single town I worked in, which was a huge amount of money and a great deal of paperwork and time running around getting re-fingerprinted over and over again)," massage therapist Lisa wrote on Patch in May.

"But some towns like South Pas are not satisfied with that State license and keep requiring even more money."

Although some certified massage therapists are unhappy with these additional proposed requirements put forth by South Pasadena, including owner of  Mark Fukuda who spoke at the meeting, council members in favor think it is necessary to regulate inappropriate activities. 

"Just a couple years ago if you recall, they closed one [massage business] down due to prostitution across the street from , so it is a problem," said Council member David Sifuentes. "... We want to be cognizant of what wants to see in their own town." 

Police Chief Joseph Payne concurs. He spoke at the meeting Wednesday stating that uncertified massage businesses should be regulated by the city.

"Discussion with my fellow chiefs in San Gabriel Valley, the opinion is that there is a concern," Payne said.

"It is a very difficult crime to police when we pursue investigations of prostitution. I can say anecdotally—not speaking to any particular location—in my mind there is a concern. I would be very reluctant to not want to have some sort of control." 

Currently there are 13 massage businesses in the city and about half of those have opened since 2010, according to Planning and Building Director David Watkins. He could not provide data as to how many of those employees are state-certified. 

Council members also discussed implementing a moratorium, which would prohibit any service business in the pipeline from opening an establishment before the law goes into effect in September.

The moratorium, Council also mentioned, could potentially only apply to massage establishments—and not other services businesses that include tanning, nails and barbershops.

"It might be a provocative move to go with a moratorium. It might be better to just push ahead with legislation," said the city's attorney Richard L. Adams. 

City council directed Adams to do further research on the option and bring it back to the next meeting on June 15.