Council votes to drop local licensing for massage technicians and establishments, keeps conduct and inspection standards

The City Council voted on July 7 to amend municipal code section 6‑4 to eliminate local licensing requirements for massage technicians and for massage establishments, while preserving standards and the city’s ability to inspect premises and enforce prohibitions on illicit conduct.

City Manager Greg told council that there is already a state licensing requirement for professional massage therapists and that the city has no record of ever issuing a local massage‑establishment license. "First of all, this is not about encouraging the illicit massage parlors," Greg said, explaining the change is intended to avoid duplicative regulation while retaining public‑safety safeguards.

Police Chief Ben Miner, who reviewed the draft ordinance, told council the change does not eliminate the city’s ability to inspect premises if complaints arise. "We would inspect anything on getting complaints like we normally would," Chief Miner said.

Council members raised no substantive objections in the recorded discussion and the council proceeded to a roll‑call vote. Recorded votes in the transcript show a majority voting yes; the ordinance was opened for "information only" in the record and then approved by roll call.

The ordinance removes the local licensing requirement for practitioners and establishments but keeps code provisions that prohibit sexualized conduct and allow municipal enforcement actions and inspections when necessary. No changes to state licensure for massage therapists were made by the city; the amendment simply ends the city’s parallel licensing program.