Politics & Government
Minnetonka Massage Rules Get A Rubdown
After two issues in two years, the City Council makes it more difficult to operate an illegitimate massage parlor.
Minnetonka businesses that offer massages can operate as usual, but the has strengthened the city's rules to regulate who is allowed to actually give a massage.
Once in 2010 and again in 2011, the council revoked massage licenses for Chinese Healthy Massage and Hong Kong Massage, both operating at 17508 Minnetonka Blvd., for inappropriate conduct. This summer, an undercover officer reported being touched inappropriately at Hong Kong Massage.
Massage therapists in Minnetonka must now have 500 hours of class credits from accredited massage schools. Language was also changed clarify who can practice massage therapy. Rather than holding a title of masseuse or masseur, the person must be a licensed massage therapist. "Associates" may not practice. Anyone hired to work for a massage business must meet the definition, by ordinance, of a massage therapist.
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When hiring or contracting with a massage therapist, the business owner must document that the person meets the definition of a massage therapist, and each massage therapist must sign and have notarized that he or she understands the city's ordinance.
The ordinance previously defined “massage” simply as the method of treating the superficial parts of the human body. The council added language that massage services exclude the genitalia, pubic areas, female breast and buttocks, except if "touching the buttocks of a person receiving a massage is done upon the person’s request and only for medical purposes such as relieving pain or muscle soreness."
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“We want to be able to follow a paper trail,” said Police Chief Mark Raquet.
At the suggestion of council member Tony Wagner, the council pulled back on other proposed conditions in the ordinance. Massage businesses won't be required to keep financial records on site, the businesses can advertise and they can decide to accept only cash for payments, if they so choose.
Council members agreed that anyone with reason to hide their identities would pay with cash anyway, making the rule fruitless.
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