PASO ROBLES, Calif- The fate of a new ordinance regulating massage practices in Paso Robles will be decided on Tuesday. Back in May Central Coast News spoke with a massage therapist who was excited to hear of a new ordinance. We spoke with her again today and she is actually petitioning to city council to hold off on approving the ordinance.
"There are several people who are just asking for a suspension of this current ordinance in favor of reworking and getting the stake holders who are most impacted by this ordinance to really have better input," said Mary Uebersax, a massage therapist for 20 years.
Business licenses and state certifications will now be required along with quite a few provisions: having at least 40 watts of lighting, no locked doors, and the city now has the right to conduct inspections. "It would really put a burden on our massage therapy clients, our practice and would be very degrading to our practice in general," said Uebersax.
There will be extra costs associated with the ordinance being put in place. "The city is asking us to pay a licensing fee and they are asking us to pay for the site visits," said Uebersax.
Paso Robles Police said this ordinance is needed. Illicit activity has increased over the years and having an ordinance will be a tool to shut down businesses doing illegal practices. Something legitimate massage therapists like Uebersax agree on, but not the way the ordinance is fashioned.
"Certainly we are not trying to impact in any way shape or form those legitimate businesses owners, we want them to thrive we want them to flourish, we are hoping by uprooting those illicit types of businesses we will see other businesses thrive in the community," said Lt. Ty Lewis of the Paso Robles Police Department.
Police said they understand the communities concern about fees and will revisit them and possibly amend them. @
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