Everett council adopts amended ordinance tightening rules for massage and reflexology businesses after public outcry on language access

Everett City Council on June 3 adopted an amended ordinance (CB 2605-28) creating a new chapter of the Everett Municipal Code regulating massage and reflexology services, setting restricted operating hours and adding civil penalties for landlords who knowingly lease property to repeatedly violating businesses. The council voted to approve the amendment and the final ordinance after extended public comment and council discussion.

Supporters of massage workers told the council the ordinance, as drafted, would disproportionately harm immigrant and low-English-proficiency workers. "This ordinance makes it worse," said Diane, a Shoreline resident who said she frequents affordable Asian massage parlors and described how announced inspections and criminal penalties can threaten workers' immigration status. Erica Wong, an interpreter who said she would help translate speakers for free, said, "Criminalization means marginalization," and urged the council to pursue language access and alternative licensure pathways rather than punitive enforcement.

City staff and council members said the ordinance was amended to add enforcement priorities and an enforcement tool focused on owners and landlords. The adopted amendment creates a civil liability provision that allows a $1,000 civil penalty when a landlord knowingly leases to a business repeatedly violating the ordinance and fails to take specified mitigation steps, including working with city officials or, if legally viable, terminating a lease. The ordinance also includes restricted operating hours (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.), but council members clarified that those limits would not apply to sole practitioners working from a residence.

Deputy City Attorney Ramsey Rammerman and other administration officials told councilmembers the ordinance incorporates state licensing requirements (RCW provisions for massage licensing) and that enforcement would be administered through the city's code-enforcement chapter (Chapter 1.20), with appeal processes. Council members pressed for details on frequency and notice for landlord penalties; the city attorney said enforcement follows chapter 1.20 processes, which include written notice and opportunities for remediation and appeal.

Council members also emphasized outreach and language access as part of implementation. "We can and should do better for language interpretation and support for language access," Councilmember Ryan said, pledging to look at the city's public-comment page and legislative agenda to seek statutory changes at the state level. Administration officials committed to pre-enforcement education and engagement with community partners, the CARES team, and the police social-work cadre to provide language support and culturally informed outreach.

Public testimony had urged the council to delay or reject the ordinance, citing barriers to state licensure (tests offered primarily in English and Spanish, training costs and hour requirements) and the risk that announced inspections could expose workers to immigration enforcement. Organizer Ray, representing outreach efforts with the Massage Parlor Organizing Project, said the community needed accessible pathways to licensure and protections that would not make workers more vulnerable to exploitation.

Votes at a glance: Councilman Ryan moved to amend the ordinance to add the landlord civil-liability language (motion seconded by President Schwab); the amendment passed on a roll call with all present councilmembers voting yes. The council subsequently approved the ordinance as amended on the final roll call vote.

The council directed administration to proceed with robust outreach, in-language engagement, and coordination with community partners before any enforcement actions. The ordinance was adopted and will be enforced according to the municipal code; councilmembers and the administration said they will pursue state-level advocacy to address licensure barriers.