Visalia Planning Commission, police want to keep a close eye on massage parlors - Visalia Times-Delta

[Joshua Yeager]

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500 S Santa Fe

(Photo: Ron Holman)

City officials approved a massage parlor to operate in a residential neighborhood despite public complaints and the business listing no licensed massage therapists on its application.

This week, Visalia planning commissioners greenlit a massage parlor near Santa Fe Street and Noble Avenue, amid a largely residential neighborhood.

Healthy Massage will offer foot and body massages with three rooms inside a 1,200-square-foot office at 500 S. Santa Fe Ave.

It will be the 32nd parlor to set up shop in Visalia, according to city records.

At least one neighboring property owner wasn't happy with the decision and took to the podium to voice her concerns.

"Robert (Kraft), who owns the patriots, got caught in a massage parlor, and he wasn't getting his feet massaged," said Garcia Gomez, who owns a duplex next door to the office.

The location was previously a medical doctor's office, which "gave the area legitimacy," Gomez said.

More: Is massage parlor ordinance keeping prostitution down?

Gomez's concerns follow a 2012 city ordinance meant to restrict the operation of massage parlors in Visalia to licensed therapists after a number were discovered to be fronts for human trafficking and prostitution.

Police "still actively monitor" parlors within the city limits with compliance checks. The last one was in May.

The last arrest was a year ago.

"We remain vigilant in the fight against human trafficking," Sgt. Gary Williams said. "Our mission has always to been to protect those without a voice and our officers are dedicated to ensuring city ordinances and laws are being followed."

Chinese owner Zhi Bin Liu, for his part, said the business is "above board" via a translator.

"I think massage parlors have got a stigma around them in the past year or two," said Dan Ferguson, who claimed to be married to Liu's sole employee, Yuzhen Yang, and translated for them both.

Ferguson said he did not speak Chinese.

"Everything's got your 'goods' and your 'bads.' It's not fair to judge an entire business based on the 'bads,'" he said.

500 S Santa Fe

(Photo: Ron Holman)

Commissioners agreed to give the business the benefit of the doubt with a few conditions. Namely, the parlor will have to close by 8 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on weekends, owing to nearby residences.

"I know how hard it can be to start a business in California, and I don't want to make it any harder on business owners without cause," Commissioner Brett Taylor said. "If there is something inappropriate happening here, there are more than enough protections in place between Visalia police and the city ordinance."

He went on to address some of Gomez's concerns.

"I go at least once a month to get a massage," he said. "They're always quiet and parking has never been an issue."

Ferguson said they were already planning to cut back operational hours, "because it's in a bad part of town." He said they arrived at the business Monday morning to find a rock had busted one of its windows.

The decision came as "no surprise" to Gomez, she said.

"The city needs revenue," she said. "I'm not sure how it will affect the neighborhood."

She allowed that the business could be legitimate.

"I'd hate to see a business not come in because of its negative connotation," she said. "I hope we won't notice it's there."

Commissioner Liz Wynn was the sole objector to the parlor.

Although Commissioner Marvin Hansen also voted against the conditional use permit, he stated for the record that he did so by mistake.

That would effectively bring the vote to 4-1 in support of the business.

Wynn said she wasn't entirely convinced that the business was legitimate.

"They have three rooms but only one listed therapist, who isn't licensed with the city," she said.

She pointed out that Liu operates another parlor in Visalia at 332 W. Houston Ave. called Zen Spa. No massage therapists are licensed to work there either.

"That would indicate a code violation is already taking place at the Houston location," she said. "A call to code enforcement will be made tomorrow."

Ferguson insisted that he was unaware of the ordinance requiring his wife, a masseuse listed as the new parlor's sole employee, to register with the city in addition to the California Massage Therapy Council per city ordinance.

Wynn said the commission should take action at a future meeting to enact policies that would help to ferret out dubious massage parlors from legitimate establishments.

"We need to protect Visalia from fronts for human trafficking while supporting legitimate therapists," she said. "I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach every time one of these (parlors) comes before (the planning commission)."

The topic is to be discussed at a future workstudy session. The Times-Delta will update on the findings of that session, when it is announced.

332 W. Houston

(Photo: Ron Holman)

Joshua Yeager covers water, agriculture, parks and housing for the Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

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