La Grange May Reject Massage Business - Patch

[massage]

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange is being asked to allow a massage business downtown, but the village's staff found the proposed service would be out of character for the area.


Peter Haleas, manager of Three Green Vegetables, is asking the village to approve the massage business for 15 S. La Grange Road.

In a memo, the village's planner, Kelsey Fawell, said the village allows massage businesses downtown if they are on the second floor or are an accessory to a use such as a beauty shop or a fitness center.


The proposal for a massage business, Fawell said, would not fit into the village's 2005 downtown plan, which calls for a pedestrian retail environment.

A massage business differs from a salon in that massages are conducted outside public view, Fawell said.


The village's staff consulted with La Grange police for their view on a zoning change. The police said a change would likely result in more local massage businesses, requiring more police oversight, Fawell said in the memo. That could place an "undue burden" on the police department's resources.

Massage shops occasionally get in trouble with the law. One of the more recent examples was in Elmhurst.


In his application, Haleas said the massage business would not interfere with the health, safety or welfare of the surrounding area. He said the property's vacancy for the last few years supports the notion that the zoning is restrictive and hinders the property's value.

Haleas said he would bring a "reputable and well-known brand" that could potentially enhance nearby property values.


The village's Plan Commission is set to consider the massage business at its meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Village Hall.


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