Newport Approves New Regulations for Massage Shops

A 13-month-old moratorium on new massage shops in Newport Beach will be repealed, and new regulations governing all massage operations in the city won final approval from the City Council this week.

The unanimous vote ends a yearlong effort to reduce the number of prostitution rings that officials say often use massage shops as fronts. The ordinance, designed to better regulate legitimate massage shops, will go into effect in 30 days, and the existing moratorium will be repealed at that time.

“The hope is that, through this planning process, the good businesses will remain,” said Assistant City Atty. Robin Flory, who drafted the new ordinance. “At least we have a tool now to direct the number and location of the businesses.”

Not all massage shop operators were pleased with the outcome, however, and some said the new rules continue to punish honest businesses and do little to curb prostitution.

Under the ordinance, all existing shops have one year to comply with the changes or be forced to close their doors.

All new and existing shops now will need to apply for a use permit, which will be granted if the business is in compliance with code; it can be revoked if a business falls out of compliance. Permits for new businesses typically cost about $900 in Newport Beach, but existing shops will be given a reduced rate of $200.

Additionally, the new ordinance restricts locations for new and existing shops, disallowing those that are within 500 feet of another massage shop, school, church or civic center. Existing shops can appeal this requirement to the Planning Commission, which can give approval to allow them to remain.

Also, shops will be allowed only in areas zoned for commercial or light-industrial use and in some portions of specific neighborhoods, such as Mariner’s Mile and Newport Shore, where there are both residential and commercial uses.

There are 45 massage shops now doing business in Newport Beach, which is more than in any other city in Orange County. Most of them operate in the John Wayne Airport area. Last year, a Police Department investigation revealed about half of the shops were fronts for prostitution.

In all, 28 shops will need to appeal to the Planning Commission to let them stay where they are. Three shops are in the wrong zone and ineligible to appeal. Those three shops will need to shut down operations within one year, unless they win a reprieve to stay open for up to one additional year.