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Council adopts ordinance updating massage/reflexology business regulations, extends initial inspection window to 120 days
Summary
Council unanimously approved Ordinance 25-003 on second reading to update local code regulating massage and reflexology businesses; among changes, the initial inspection window after license issuance was extended from 90 to 120 days following input from the Washington State Massage Therapy Association (WSMTA).
Spokane Valley — On April 15 the City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 25-003 (second reading) to revise the city’s business regulations for massage and reflexology establishments, including minor technical and implementation changes and a 120‑day initial inspection window.
Deputy City Attorney Caitlin Prunty introduced the ordinance and credited Detective Keyes and representatives from the Washington State Massage Therapy Association (WSMTA) for substantive review and suggested edits. Prunty said the ordinance under consideration on second reading is “substantially the same” as the version presented at first reading, with a limited set of edits based on WSMTA comments. The council was told the primary substantive change was extending the required initial law-enforcement inspection under Business Regulations section 5.050.07 from 90 days to 120 days after issuance of a business license for a massage or reflexology business; the extension followed a WSMTA recommendation and was supported by Detective Keyes.
Detective Keyes told the council staff had tried to anticipate possible workarounds by illicit operators when drafting the ordinance and called the proposed ordinance “the best quality ordinance that we can have,” adding he believed it may be “the best one in the state.” Council Member Padden read a supporting letter from the WSMTA into the record.
The council voted “Aye” on the second reading; no amendments were made at final vote. The ordinance will take effect under standard municipal ordinance procedures.
Quotes in this article are from Deputy City Attorney Caitlin Prunty, Detective Keyes and council members as recorded in the April 15 transcript.
