AgdaPkt 2015-09-28 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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ATTY/DOCS-STAFF REPORTS/DRAFTS/MASSAGE ORD STAFF REPORT (RS CLEAN) 9-21-15 REV: 09-17-15 RS Page 1 of 4 REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager September 28, 2015 SUBJECT Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 18A (Massage Services) of the Code of the City of Redwood City Relating to the Regulation of Massage Businesses RECOMMENDATION Waive first reading and introduce an ordinance repealing Chapter 18A and adopting a new Chapter 18A (Massage Services) of the Code of the City of Redwood City relating to the regulation of massage businesses. BACKGROUND Prior to 2009, individual municipalities, not the State of California, were responsible for regulating massage businesses and massage professionals. In 2009, the State Legislature passed the California Massage Therapy Law or Senate Bill 731. This legislation established the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), a nonprofit entity charged with issuing voluntary permits to all massage therapists in the state. The law also significantly limited cities’ regulatory authority over massage businesses. In 2011, Redwood City amended its massage ordinance to comply with SB 731 and to require all massage practitioners working in Redwood City to obtain a certificate from the CMTC. In 2014, the state legislature enacted AB 1147, returning authority to cities and counties to regulate the massage industry. Under AB 1147, cities and counties have increased authority to regulate the massage industry. The new legislation allows the CMTC to continue to certify massage practitioners while empowering local governments to exercise land use control and impose operating standards and permit, licensing and certification requirements on massage businesses. However, cities are prohibited from imposing certification requirements on individual massage therapists unless they own the massage business. Following the passage of AB 1147, the County of San Mateo proposed that all cities in San Mateo County regulate massage businesses via a model ordinance drafted to coordinate with the County’s massage ordinance. The expectation is that the adoption of a uniform County-wide program governing massage establishments will deter the operation of illegal massage businesses within the County. The County reports that its ordinance has been effective in removing illegal massage establishments, and that there currently are none operating in unincorporated areas of the County. 6.4.A. - Page 1