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Council approves consent item for massage establishment after residents press for stricter controls
Summary
Council approved a consent agenda item allowing a new owner to operate a massage establishment subject to conditional-use rules; police and legal staff outlined new restrictions including earlier closing hours, employee registration with police, state-license checks and a conditional use that attaches to an applicant rather than the property.
The City of Roswell on Monday approved a consent-agenda item to permit a new owner to operate a massage establishment at a downtown location, after multiple residents urged the council to impose firm operational controls and enforcement measures to prevent illicit activity.
Police Chief Jim Conroy told the council staff had completed a background investigation and that the applicant met ordinance requirements. "We've done a thorough background...and they've met all of the requirements of the ordinance," Conroy said. He recommended conditional use approval for the business. City staff and legal counsel described changes the city recently made to the massage-establishment rules to tighten oversight.
Residents who live near the business told the council they had longstanding concerns about prior operations at the site. Michael McLaughlin, who identified himself as a neighbor, and others said the previous business had been shut down in the past, reopened and then closed again, and that hours of operation and window coverings had contributed to suspicion. "If there is anything illicit going on...property values are affected by this, as well as just our...there are kids that live there," McLaughlin said.
In response, City Attorney David Davidson and staff said the code revisions now limit hours, require visible windows (no obstructive coverings), require every person providing body-contact services to be registered with the police department and hold a state massage license, and allow conditional-use approval to follow an applicant rather than the property. Council Member Lee Hills said the city also added zones where such businesses are allowed and that if a business is shut down it cannot readily reopen at that property in a different zone.
Chief Conroy and city staff stressed joint enforcement among police, legal and community-development staff and said the city uses undercover work and licensing checks to detect illicit activity. Several neighbors said they would continue to monitor the business and report concerns to police.
The consent agenda — five items in total — was approved by motion of Council Member David Johnson, seconded by Council Member Ellen (Alan) Sells; the clerk recorded the consent agenda as passing unanimously 6-0.
