Carlsbad plans to strengthen its regulation of massage services in what city officials said is a “proactive” effort to avoid any problems.
The changes will streamline the licensing process, deter unauthorized businesses and therapists, improve accountability and for the first time allow businesses to provide offsite massages at residences and workplaces, police Capt. Jeff Smith said.
“We will verify that people who are they say they are, and that they are not violating the law,” Smith said, when the proposed new ordinance was presented to the City Council on Tuesday.
Councilmember Teresa Acosta commended the Police Department and everyone who worked to prepare the ordinance, which was approved unanimously. It requires a second review and approval by the City Council, which probably will be within a few weeks, and then it will be effective in about 30 days.
“You saw there was an issue … and that it needed to be cleaned up,” Acosta said.
Councilmember Priya Bhat-Patel also thanked the police captain “for being proactive.” She said the ordinance will allow the city to go “a step further” than state law and to stop any illegal activity “in its tracks.”
The ordinance sets the maximum hours of operation at 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for all massage businesses and sets additional guidelines for denying licenses to unqualified applicants.
Anyone providing massage services must have a license from the city and from the California Massage Therapy Council. Applicants for the state license must be at least 18 and renewal is required every two years.
In 2022, Carlsbad police arrested a man who worked as a masseur in a Bressi Ranch spa on accusations of sexual assault.
In 2016, a massage business on Jefferson Street known as Healthcare Carlsbad closed after being cited for various health and municipal code violations, according to news stories at the time.
