No beds, no locks and clothed employees. Manatee massage parlors face new regulations
After years of shady massage parlor activity, county officials are cracking down on businesses that rub more than shoulders and backs.
The Manatee Board of County Commissioners will consider the approval of a new ordinance that subjects massage parlors in unincorporated areas to routine inspections with strict new rules. The change comes after complaints from elected officials, residents and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which suspects some businesses are “plain and simple houses of prostitution.”
Similar attempts have been made in the past but Tuesday’s proposed ordinance has the most teeth to date. It would require each person practicing massage therapy to acquire a license from the state. All businesses would also have to maintain a log of names, numbers, addresses and more for any employee providing massage services.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction. We may have additional work to do, but this is a great start,” said Commissioner Misty Servia, who first called on county officials to regulate massage establishments.
The County Attorney’s Office worked closely with legal counsel at the sheriff’s office to create the regulations. When Sgt. Jason Powell, the sheriff’s office’s intelligence unit supervisor, first spoke to the board in May, he said there are at least 12 of these “sexually oriented businesses” that disguise themselves as massage parlors.
“These are plain and simple houses of prostitution. We’ve been investigating these places for a long time,” he said at the time. “It’s very easy to go in there and make arrests but ... if we shut down one place, they’ll just switch out ownership in one day.”
The proposed ordinance lays out a comprehensive rule set aimed at preventing any kind of sexual contact between massage therapists and customers. Here are some of the restrictions businesses will face:
- No beds, mattresses or futons allowed in the business. Sofas only allowed in the waiting room.
- Employees must remain “completely clothed” in opaque clothing.
- Any room where massages are performed may not be outfitted with a lock or similar device that prevents entry.
“Those are all important components,” Servia said.
On top of that, sheriff’s deputies and county employees would have the right to perform routine inspections of massage facilities whenever the business is occupied by staff. At that time, business owners would have to prove compliance with the ordinance’s requirements.
Businesses or buildings that don’t meet the proposed requirements in the ordinance could be declared a public nuisance, and the county could pursue legal action in circuit court.
Commissioners are set to vote on the ordinance at Tuesday’s regular meeting at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. The meeting begins at 9 a.m.
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
