This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Massage Parlor Ordinance for the Town of Wethersfield."
It is hereby declared that the business of operating
massage establishments as defined herein is a business affecting the
public health, safety and general welfare.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them by this
section:
EMPLOYEE
Any and all persons, other than the masseurs or masseuses,
who render any service to the permittee, who have no physical contact
with customers and clients.
GENERAL HOSPITAL
A hospital as described in the Connecticut Blue Cross, Inc.,
Member Contract, located in Connecticut, and registered as such by
The American Hospital Association.
MASSAGE
Any method of pressure on or friction against or stroking,
kneading, rubbing, tapping, pounding, vibrating or stimulating of
the external soft parts of the body with the hands or with the aid
of any apparatus or appliance with or without any such supplementary
aids as rubbing alcohol, liniments, antiseptics, oils, powders, creams,
lotions, ointments or other similar preparations commonly used in
this practice.
MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT
Any establishment or club where any person engages in or
carries on or permits to be engaged in or carried on any of the activities
mentioned in the definition of "massage" of this chapter.
MASSEUR or MASSEUSE
Any person who, for any consideration, engages in the practice
of massage as herein defined.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock
company or combinations of individuals of whatever form or character.
RECOGNIZED SCHOOL
Any school or institution which has for its purpose the teaching
of the theory, the method and professional work of massage, which
school requires a course of study not less than 70 hours to be given
in not more than three calendar months before the student shall be
furnished with a diploma or certificate of graduation from such school
or institution following the successful completion of such course
of study or learning in a school which has been recognized and approved
by the State of Connecticut.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage
in, conduct or carry on or permit to be engaged in, conducted or carried
on in or upon any premises in the Town of Wethersfield the operation
of a massage establishment as herein defined without first having
obtained a permit from the Town Manager or his designee after approval
by the Director of Public Health.
When the application is filed for a massage
establishment permit under this chapter, the Town Manager or his designee
shall fix the time and place for a public hearing where the applicant
may present evidence upon the question of his application. Not less
than 15 days before the date of such hearing, the Town Manager or
his designee shall cause to be posted a notice of such hearing in
a conspicuous place on the property in which or on which the proposed
massage establishment is to be operated. The applicant shall maintain
said notice for at least 15 days.
Every person who engages in or conducts a massage
establishment shall keep a daily register, approved as to form by
the Town Manager or his designee, of all patrons with names, addresses
and hours of arrival and, if applicable, the rooms or cubicles assigned.
Said daily register shall at all times during business hours be subject
to inspection by Health Department officials and by the Police Department
and shall be kept on file for one year.
The Police Department and the Department of
Public Health shall, from time to time, no less than twice a year,
make an inspection of each massage establishment in the Town of Wethersfield
for the purposes of determining that the provisions of this chapter
are complied with. Such inspections shall be made at a reasonable
time, in a reasonable manner. It shall be unlawful for any permittee
to fail to allow such inspection officer access to the premises or
to hinder such officer in any manner.
No permit shall be transferable except with
the written consent of the Town Manager or his designee and the approval
of the Department of Public Health; provided, however, that upon the
death or incapacity of the permittee, the massage establishment may
continue in business for a reasonable period of time to allow for
an orderly transfer of permit.
All persons presently operating a massage establishment
or working as a masseur or masseuse, as defined herein, must comply
with all the provisions of this chapter and must file for the appropriate
permit within 10 days of the effective date of this chapter.
This chapter does not apply to schools, hospitals,
nursing homes, sanitariums or persons holding an unrevoked certificate
to practice the healing arts under the laws of the State of Connecticut
or to persons working under the direction of any such person or in
any such establishment.
The Town Manager or his designee or the Director
of Public Health may, after a public hearing, make and enforce reasonable
rules and regulations not in conflict with, but to carry out, the
intent of this chapter.
Every person, except persons who are specifically
exempt by this chapter, whether acting as an individual, owner, employee
of the owner, operator or employee of operator or acting as a participant
or worker in any way who gives massages or conducts a massage establishment
without first obtaining a permit and paying a license fee to the Town
of Wethersfield or who shall violate any of the provisions of this
chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to a fine not
to exceed $100. Each day that the subject violation continues shall
be deemed a separate offense.