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Movement on massage parlor by-law stalled

Date: 7/9/2012

July 9, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW — It has been more than a month since residents voted to change a by-law that would require all massage therapy businesses in town to obtain a special permit, but Planning Director Robyn Macdonald doesn't expect any movement to be made in that regard anytime soon.

Macdonald told Reminder Publications that before starting the process of hosting hearings for special permits, the town is waiting for approval from the attorney general's office.

"It's not going to happen until we hear from the attorney general," she said. "They have 90 days to tell us yes or no and usually they take the entire 90 days."

The Annual Town Meeting that approved the measure took place on May 21; therefore, the state has until the middle of August to make a decision.

The by-law change was proposed in an effort to curb the illegal activity that has been taking place at Korean Massage at 611 North Main St., which has been subject to three separate police actions since 2009, during which police found evidence of the business being in violation of licensing laws, as well as promoting prostitution and illegal immigration.

While some spoke favorably of the by-law change at the public hearing and at the Annual Town Meeting, several massage therapists that operate in East Longmeadow said they felt the town was punishing the legitimate businesses by making them pay an extra fee.

Daniel Crescenzo, a Wilbraham resident who conducts his business at 280 North Main St., went so far as to call it "extortion" at a public hearing regarding the change.

The cost of a special permit is $250, in addition to the cost of advertising for a public hearing, which is approximately $100.

Then Board of Selectmen Chair James Driscoll said that his board was looking into ways to lighten that burden for businesses, however, Macdonald said that as of now, it does not appear as if such a remedy is feasible.

"I don't think that's going to happen," she said. "Too many people already have special permits that they have paid for. We would have to change everybody's."

Macdonald went on to point out that when laws were enacted that required daycares to acquire a special permit, those businesses were not given any relief, nor were home-based trades that were required to obtain special permits.



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