Committee holds massage-establishment application at 1136 W. Mason after inspection and background concerns; sets Feb. 24 follow-up

The Green Bay Protection and Policy Committee on Jan. 13 held a massage-establishment license application for 1136 W. Mason after police and building-inspection staff reported concerns about the applicant’s background checks, online advertising linked to a listed phone number, and multiple building code and inspection deficiencies.

Police said their web searches for the phone number listed on the application returned listings on adult advertising sites (for example, SkipTheGames and similar directories) and that related phone numbers had appeared in listings tied to other massage parlors in other states. Police also reported a prostitution-related arrest in Cook County, Illinois, in 2015; the county clerk’s office indicated the charge did not appear on distant records the police checked and suggested the charge may have been declined. Based on the combination of online-advertising hits and past allegations in other jurisdictions, the police department recommended denial.

Inspection staff reported multiple unresolved building and safety items at the W. Mason location: suites 4, 5 and 6 could not be inspected because they are not part of the applicant’s leased area; the submitted floor plan was inconsistent with on-site conditions; smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were not functioning; at least one light fixture was burned out in the lobby; plumbing issues and an unvented dryer were noted in the laundry area; and exterior painting and signage still referenced a prior business name. Inspectors also said the insurance listed an incorrect address on the application paperwork.

The applicant (identified in the hearing as Sheng Yan) and an interpreter attended and answered questions. The applicant said suites 4–6 were owned or controlled by the landlord and not part of the submitted business operation; staff told the applicant she must resubmit a corrected floor plan that clearly excludes suites not used by the business. Inspectors and staff explained the applicant must work with the landlord to correct smoke/CO detectors and the dryer venting and that those items are needed for any license approval.

Committee members moved to hold the application pending resolution of inspection issues and corrective work. Staff said the typical compliance window is 30 days; the committee set an amended hold date and instructed staff to return the item to the committee on Feb. 24 to review whether the corrections were completed. The Feb. 24 date provides time for the applicant and landlord to address the noted safety and plan-accuracy issues.