Evanston works knots from massage ordinance aimed at 'illegal sexual activities'...

[massage]

Evanston City Council members have placed back on the table an ordinance regulating massage establishments, responding to criticism from professional massage therapists that the provisions are too restrictive and would affect the operations of legitimate massage operations.

At the urging of Ald. Delores Holmes, 5th, aldermen held over the item until the May 23 City Council meeting. Holmes expressed hope that the additional time will give officials time "to look again at some of the language."

City officials had proposed the new ordinance "to address ongoing community concerns and provide an enforcement tool related to illegal sexual activities at massage establishments," said Grant Farrar, the city's corporation counsel and police Chief Richard Eddington, in a memo to aldermen.

The proposed ordinance "clearly ties into state licensing requirements and makes City inspections and enforcement actions follow a clear path," they said.


Police have investigated sporadic complaints about illicit activities at local massage establishments in recent years. The department recently invested significant resources investigating residents concerns about a massage business operating illegally in close proximity to Evanston Township High School, Eddington said.

Police worked with Cook County Sheriff's Office investigating the case, prompting the department to look at a different approach to the issue, he said.

"It's kind of silly to invest that type of law enforcement resources when we can say, 'Do you have a massage license, are you licensed by the state? Can I see your license?'"


"All this stuff is automatic," he said, "and it reverts to an inspectional process rather than an undercover process."

It also gives "peace of mind" to everyone involved, he said.

But some speakers at Monday's meeting thought the ordinance might have gone too far.

Evanston massage therapist Sarah McLaughlin, who works out of the Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St., request that language prohibiting massage to certain parts of the body, such as the buttocks area, would limit her treatment.

"I am an abdominal massage therapist primarily and it would prohibit me from working on problems as simple as constipation, to treating scar tissue and bladder incontinence for women who have had hysterectomies," she said.

She said Evanston can and should create an ordinance that gives police the tools they need to shut down illicit activity.

"And please trust me when I say that no one wants to end illicit activity more than the massage community," she told aldermen.


On the other hand, she said she moved from Chicago and set up her practice here "because of an incredibly similar ordinance," in that city.

Another speaker, Steve Rogne, director of Zen Shiatsu of Chicago, 825 Chicago Avenue, spoke in support of the motivation behind the ordinance, maintaining that the issue of criminals pretending to be massage providers is getting worse, not better.

He said the proposed ordinance missed the mark due to lack of stakeholder input. He volunteered his services on any group formed to consider changes to an ordinance.

The city also is home to the American Massage Therapy Association, noted James E. Specker, its director. He also volunteered that group's work, helping shape a new ordinance.

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