Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Amends Ordinances Regulating Massage Parlors

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Amends Ordinances Regulating Massage Parlors

Westland, MI (June 18, 2020) - On Monday, June 15, the Westland City Council approved a number of amendments related to the regulation of massage parlors in the City. These changes come after the city implemented a moratorium prohibiting any new massage parlors and other new massage type activities from opening up within Westland. City Council will review a request to rescind the moratorium at their next meeting, which takes place on Monday, July 6.

"The moratorium was imposed to give us time to modify the ordinances to better regulate massage parlors during a period of time when we saw an influx in requests for these establishments," commented Moe Ayoub, Planning Director.

The Michigan Legislature declared that the practice of massage therapy is an activity affecting the public interest and public health, safety, and welfare. The Massage Therapists Act, MCL 333.17951, et seq. was enacted to prohibit an individual from engaging in the practice of massage therapy or using certain titles without being licensed under the Public Health Code; to establish minimum educational and experience standards for licensure; and to require continuing education courses as a condition for license renewal.

The amendments and modifications to the licensing requirements will aid in the further enforcement of the Massage Therapists Act and prevent illegal massage, human trafficking, prostitution and related crimes without hindering legitimate massage establishments and their massage therapists.

Summary of Licensing Code Amendments:

Cleanup of existing licensing code for massage parlors;
Defining massage establishments and providing for exemptions to the Special Land Use and licensing requirements for specific uses;
Adding requirements and regulations for applications, licenses and operations.

For more information, please call (734) 467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.