City examining massage parlor regulation

The city is examining legislation to regulate massage establishments, especially stand-alone parlors.

The city of Avon is examining legislation to regulate massage establishments.

On Oct. 7, Avon City Council’s Legal Committee reviewed a draft ordinance which would require businesses offering massages to be licensed.

Law Director John Gasior said the proposal is about leveling the playing field in Avon and enabling the city to conduct inspections to ensure the buildings are following proper health and safety standards.

“We just want to make sure the rules are being followed by everyone,” Gasior said. “And without anything on the books, it’s difficult to do that.”

If the legislation moves forward, businesses offering massages would be required to obtain a license and pay an annual $500 fee.

The city is targeting stand-alone massage parlors.

Medical practitioners such as chiropractors or physical therapists in addition to barbers and beauticians would be exempt from the proposal.

“I think what we’re aiming at is a standalone, massage parlor,” Gasior said. “That, everybody knows exist, and yet, exists without any regulation whatsoever.

“Your barber shops, your salons, places like that, where people are doing massage, now are almost all operating with the licensed massage therapist.”

The city would like the stand alone massage parlors that, on the other hand, employ massage technicians to ensure they are up to code.

Other stipulations in the draft ordinance require plumbing inspections, separate walls and ensuring the businesses are operating in a healthy and safe environment.

“And all we want to do is regulate them all in some way so that our Fire Department would go in there and make sure everything’s in order, our building department can go in there,” Gasior said.

The city also would prohibit minors from the premises and ban alcoholic beverages.

City officials estimate there are five or six establishments that would be impacted by the ordinance should it pass.

The city would look to grant existing establishments a period of time to come into compliance with the new regulations, Gasior said.

Councilman Bob Butkowski suggested the city should examine requiring establishments to hire massage practitioners licensed by the state of Ohio and use that existing framework while leaving Avon to oversee the building requirements.

The regulations most likely would have to be reviewed by the Avon Planning Commission and the panel could require massage parlors to obtain special use permits.

The proposal will return to Legal Committee in November for further review.