Santa Rosa debuts new regulations to remove illicit massage businesses against the background of traffic concerns

An increase in community concerns and intensified application of the city code has led to a repression on the illicit activity and uncertain conditions in some Santa Rosa massage companies, including SAVING Of three women who are believed to be traffic survivors.

Ever since the problem has gained wider attention, the demand has remained clear: strengthening Santa Rosa’s regulations to better prevent illicit services and potential sex traffic in the first place.

Next week the Municipal Council will take into account A renewed ordinance conceived to gather the supervision of the massage units. Proposed, previewed changes to a Santa Rosa Planning Committee meet On Thursday, they were developed by the Department of Economic Planning and Development, with contributions from external experts and other laws of nearby cities. The effort follows months of public discussions, safety hearings and direct involvement with the massage industry.

During Public commentA massage therapist with 17 years of experience described an increasing number of massage business near the office and the house, as well as repeated meetings with people asking for sexual services. She said she had seen illicit massage salons for a long time operating ferociously and illegally, while carefully complied with all the regulations.

The situation, she said, is disturbing. “I do not hide what I do. We need to really crash. “

Santa Rosa officials estimate that there are currently 130 massage businesses in the city, some not allowed.

The director of planning and economic development, Gabe Osburn, acknowledged the challenge to eliminate the illicit activity, without unfairly loading the legitimate enterprises. He stressed that there were “documented evidence of illegal activity, such as prostitution and traffic” in some cases.

“The balance we have here is that we add the regulation to the legitimate enterprises that make up the fabric of our small business community,” he said.

A report of the city staff mentioned that the existing ordinance of Santa Rosa, adopted in 2010, focuses on business license and revenues with a supervision of the minimum regulations.

Meanwhile, the law of the state It has changed To allow cities to impose the requirements of zoning, licensing and health and safety for massage units. Other communities, including Benicia and San Rafael, have consolidated the regulations accordingly, and the California Massage Therapy Council – the state certification body – has Recommended tI would like models for Santa Rosa.

The proposed ordinance would require massage companies to register and certify in the city to operate legally. Some of the requirements come with exceptions to avoid unwanted consequences for legitimate and different types of massage operators.

Certain characteristics identified as red flags, such as signs of neon and LED, services before 7 in the morning or after 10 pm, coverage in waiting rooms, sexual parafernal on the spot or inadequate outfit and living in spaces in most cases, would be explicitly forbidden.

Also, advertising on erotic massage or classified sites would be forbidden – often with vague descriptions of the services accompanied by suggestive images and emoji – would be forbidden.

And the ordinance would respond more to the business owners, through which a major violation in a location triggers inspections to all other properties under the same property.

The code application officials noted on Thursday, two companies with violations in the investigation are owned by someone with connections with several shops in the city.

Many of the massage enterprises that have raised suspicions in a few blocks-represent the same red flags, from windows to blocked doors and late-night hours.

In the last year, the application of the code, responsible for ensuring that the properties and companies comply with the rules of construction and zoning, it was opened at least 20 investigations in massage companies for various violations of the minor city code and worse. Some of the problems have been easily resolved, while others have led to closure.

Currently, 18 cases remain open, according to the spokesman of Santa Rosa City, Katy Oceguera. Of these, six are under active investigation in different stages of the application process.

Public records obtained by the press democrat from investigations in two now apparently closed Enterprises have revealed rooms with building, bathroom products, bottles of personal lubricants, women’s linen, non -permitted construction, closed -door services and employees working without adequate certification.