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Planning Commission approves massage business at 369 Third Ave amid neighborhood concerns about saturation
Summary
The commission approved conditional-use authorization for Healthy Living Massage at 369 Third Ave, with staff noting certification/licensing differences and commissioners acknowledging neighborhood worries about concentration of massage establishments.
The San Francisco Planning Commission approved a conditional‑use authorization for a massage establishment at 369 Third Avenue (doing business as Healthy Living Massage) after a staff presentation and public testimony about neighborhood saturation of similar businesses.
Planning staff described the proposal as an interior tenant improvement to a 2,730‑square‑foot ground‑floor commercial space with hours of operation proposed between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Staff noted some therapists hold certification under the California Massage Therapy Council and recommended approval with conditions while flagging two letters opposing the application on neighborhood-mix grounds.
Local acupuncturist and private resident Dr. Jiang Seng Yiu told commissioners he counted about 16 massage establishments in his Richmond District area and urged stricter proximity or enforcement standards; staff and commissioners clarified that a previous 1,000‑foot proximity rule had been removed from health‑department rules and was no longer in the planning code. Commissioner Antonini said the department and public health should coordinate enforcement and flagged oversight questions, but moved that the item be approved with conditions. The motion passed unanimously, 6–0.
What was decided: the commission adopted staff’s recommended conditions and approved the conditional‑use permit for the massage establishment.
Why it matters: residents expressed concern that many massage businesses concentrated in a small area could conceal noncompliant activity; staff said current regulations no longer include a citywide proximity limit and that enforcement falls to public‑health and code‑compliance channels.
Next steps: subject to the usual permit conditions and any ongoing enforcement actions, the business may proceed to obtain required local permits and operate under the approved conditions.
Provenance: topic introduced at SEG 636–SEG 666 (staff presentation) and public concern recorded SEG 675–SEG 730; roll call vote at SEG 851–SEG 866.
