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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes <br /> December 18, 2001 <br /> • Page 11 <br /> 1 Henry continued that, once the City Council adopts the ordinance, it goes into effect <br /> 2 immediately and existing businesses will have 120 days to comply with the new <br /> 3 ordinance. She stated that the license fee was$250,while the investigation fee deposit <br /> 4 was$500. Henry also stated that the number of licenses allowed for this type of business <br /> 5 was five,under this ordinance. <br /> 6 <br /> 7 Smith added that the reason this was before the Planning Commission as a public hearing <br /> 8 tonight was because of the zoning change. <br /> 9 <br /> 10 Chair Melsha asked how the fee would be determined for existing businesses. Smith <br /> 11 stated that the amount could certainly be changed. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Resident Mary Luger-Sarter, 3807 Stinson Boulevard, stated that she was a massage <br /> 14 therapist at a couple of different places in the City of St. Anthony and found it very <br /> 15 offensive when they referred to her type of business as a"massage parlor". She stated <br /> 16 that she found the fee was astronomical for the City of St. Anthony,especially when <br /> 17 someone was starting a new business. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 Smith indicated that the essence of the ordinance is from Edina, but the numbers in the <br /> 20 ordinance are not based on the Edina ordinance. <br /> 21 <br /> • 22 Resident Barry Tedlund, owner of Fitness Crossroads, stated that he was questioning <br /> 23 what licensing was going to do for the community, not having any type of review process <br /> 24 that it had to go through. He was uncertain that licensing was the answer, and if it was <br /> 25 able to provide the means to stop what has happened. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 Chair Melsha asked if Tedlund's business would fall under the guidelines of the massage <br /> 28 therapy ordinance. It was determined that his business would not be subject to the <br /> 29 discussed requirements. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 Commissioner Thomas asked if he was seeing a growing demand. Tedlund stated that <br /> 32 was true, and that he was encouraging massage therapy. <br /> 33 <br /> 34 Arlene Fernandez, owner and manager at The Center for Stress Reduction in St. <br /> 35 Anthony. She indicated that she has been in massage therapy for thirteen years. She <br /> 36 stated that the mission for her was to provide her clients with a relaxing therapeutic <br /> 37 massage at an affordable rate, as well as guidance and a supportive environment for <br /> 38 practitioners who are entering the field. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 Fernandez agreed with Tedlund that requiring licensing would not necessarily eliminate <br /> 41 prostitution. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 Fernandez listed many of the beneficial effects of therapeutic massage: improved <br /> • 44 circulation, eliminating toxic debris from the body, relaxes muscle spasms, improved <br /> 45 muscle tone, reduced strain from the heart, etc. <br /> 46 <br />