"So the massage operator's licenses, they all are required to have a conditional use to allow massage on the property first. And then once they've obtained that, they can apply for a massage operator's license with us," Erin Hall, Columbia County licensing manager, said.

Hall said applicants must be licensed massage therapists under the State of Georgia and must live within 50 miles of the Columbia County location where they will perform massage. The county planning commission approves massage operator licenses for each location, Hall said.

The licensing manager noted that recent event disruptions make year-to-year comparisons difficult but emphasized that the licensing office follows these location and credentialing rules consistently.

Applicants seeking a massage operator license should confirm conditional-use approval with the planning commission before filing with the licensing office.