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S E P 1 2 1978
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Santa Mon1ca, Californla
September 5, 1978
TO: Mayor and Clty Council
FROM: Clty Attorney
SUBJECT: Massage Parlor Ordlnance
Introductlon
ThlS report transrnlts the attached ordlnance,whlch
prov1des for regulatlon of massage parlors, for lntroduction
and flrst readlng.
Background
Slnce the City of Los Angeles has enacted an ordlnance
regulatlng massage parlors, the number of slmllar establlshments
ln the Clty of Santa Monlca has lncreased from 2 to 15. These
massage parlors are potentlal havens for llllcit commerclal sexual
actlvlty. Currently llllClt activltles conducted In massage
parlors can be controlled only by crlmlnal prosecutlon of ludl-
vldual v1olators under sectlons of the Penal Code regulatlng
lewd conduct and prostltut1on. These ord1nances are relat1vely
dlfflcult to enforce and carry relatlvely mlnor penaltles, there-
fore lt 1S felt that dlrect and comprehenslve regulatlons are
needed to lnsure that massage parlor buslnesses are conducted
legltlmately.
The operatlve prov1slons of the proposed ordlnance
are set out brlefly below:
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1. Sectlon 62002 provldes for a deta1led app11catlon
to be flled wlth the Chlef of Pollce by any person wlshing a
permlt to carryon a massage buslness.
2. Sectlon 62003 dlrects the Chief of Police to con-
duct an 1nvestlgatlon of each appllcant and appllcatlon, after
which he wlll grant or deny the permlt applled for.
3. Sect10n 62004 provldes for a detailed appllcatlon
to be flIed wlth the Ch1ef of Pollce by any person deslrlng to
work as a masseur ln the City of Santa Monlca. One of the re-
qUlrements for obtain1ng such a per~lt lS a dlploma from an
accredlted school that requlres not less than Two Hundred (200)
hours of traln1ng. ThlS sectlon also makes lt a mlsdemeanor for
any massage parlor operator to employ a masseur who does not have
a permlt.
4. Bectlon 62005 provldes for strlct operating pro-
cedures for llcensed parlors, lncludlng:
a) No person under 18 years of age may be
allowed on premlses;
b) Permlts must be posted;
c) Llghtlng and ventllatlon reguIatlons;
d) Regulatlons for toilet facllltles; and
e) Regulatlon of hours of operatlon.
5. Seetlon 62006 requlres that a nanager, to be
named by the owner, 15 to be present on the premlses durlng hours
of operatlon.
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6. Sectlon 62008 provldes for lnspectlons of the
premlses by the Clty'S Department of BUlldlng and Safety, Flre
Department and the Los Angeles County Health Department.
The proposed regulatory scheme closely resembles the
ordlnance now ln force In the C1ty of Los Angeles, thereby llffiltlng
the attractiveness of Santa Monlca as a locatlon for these businesses.
Alternatlve Solutlons
The Clty Council may reJect the proposed ordlnance and
rely upon eXlstlng prOVlslons of the Penal Code to control 1lllCt
actlvltles conducted at massage parlors.
Recommendatlon
It 1S respectfully recommended that the attached
ordlnance be lntroduced for first readlng and publlC hear1ng.
PREPARED BY: RICHARD L. KNICKERBOCKER, Clty Attorney
STEPHEN S. STARK, Asslstant Clty Attorney
JIM WEBSTER, Deputy City Attorney
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