Ordinance committee sends Santa Barbara massage ordinance to council with outreach, not as-is

The Santa Barbara Ordinance Committee voted Jan. 13 to advance proposed amendments to the city's massage ordinance to the full City Council with instructions to conduct additional cultural outreach and to present multiple options, rather than recommending the ordinance "as is." The committee's motion passed unanimously.

The item, continued from a December meeting, drew more than an hour of public comment from local massage therapists, students, school owners and advocates who warned that a proposed requirement tied to California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) standards and increased educational hours would impose severe financial and time burdens. "The idea of going back to school for a 250-hour program is a real hardship," said Colin Silverman, who said he has run a Santa Barbara deep-tissue practice for 30 years and receives referrals from orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists. Several speakers urged permanent or practical grandfathering for practitioners with…