ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council unanimously approved changes to the city’s zoning ordinance Feb. 12 that would require business licenses for new massage establishments to clear the council.
The vote comes in the wake of a recent police investigation resulting in the arrests of three principal figures with a human trafficking network, serving search and arrest warrants at 10 locations in Roswell, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and Atlanta. There have been 70 arrests across 23 locations in Roswell, and the investigation is ongoing.
New massage businesses will be allowed throughout all commercial areas, and the conditional use permit will not run with the land, providing a stopgap with any changeover. Before the decision, massage therapy businesses had been allowed by-right under personal services.
For the second and final reading of the text amendment, Roswell Planning and Zoning Director Jackie Deibel presented changes that were at the suggestion of massage therapists, councilmembers and the city attorney.
Alterations include changing the use name from “massage and spa establishment” to “licensed massage establishment”; changing “health spa” to “wellness”; moving “massage therapy” under “Medical” use provisions with a definition; and creating a definition and use standard for “licensed massage establishment.”
At the meeting, City Attorney David Davidson also provided a first reading of a text amendment to the city’s code of ordinances related to massage therapy. The second reading is scheduled for the City Council meeting Feb. 26.
Media receives criticism
Jo Taylor, a Roswell-based massage therapist, thanked the council for their attention to the issue. Taylor has become a familiar face at council meetings, offering suggestions throughout the process of updating city regulation so as not to impede on…
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