Norwalk Municipal Code Art. I Purpose and Definitions

The City Council finds and determines that the regulations and restrictions found in this chapter are reasonably necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the City. The standards set forth in this chapter are necessary to reduce negative impacts such as opportunities for acts of prostitution and other unlawful sexual activity and to reduce the burdens on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the City of Norwalk Public Safety Department. Therefore, it is the purpose and intent of the City Council, in enacting this chapter, to regulate massage establishments and massage technicians for the protection of the public and the preservation of the peace and welfare of the community.

(Ord. 06-1569 § 8, 2006; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Any permittee who provides or allows to be provided any services which fall within any of the categories of "sexually oriented business," as defined in Section 17.04.100, shall immediately have his or her permit to operate a massage establishment or to work as massage technician revoked. No services conducted by a massage establishment or a massage technician will be permitted to continue upon revocation of the permit.

(Ord. 06-1569 § 8, 2006; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

For the purposes of this chapter, unless it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is intended, the following words and phrases shall apply:

"Director"

means the Community Development Director of the City of Norwalk.

"Massage"

means any method of treating the external parts of the body for remedial, hygienic, relaxation, or any other reason or purpose, whether by means of pressure on, friction against, or stroking, kneading, tapping, pounding, vibrating, rubbing or other manner of touching external parts of the body with the hands, or with the aid of any mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliance with or without supplementary aids such as rubbing alcohol, liniment, antiseptic, oil, powder, cream, ointment, or other similar preparations commonly used in this practice.

"Massage establishment"

means any business conducted within the City of Norwalk where any person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, or combination of individuals engages in, conducts, carries on or permits to be conducted or carried on, for money or any other consideration, the administration to another person of a massage. This definition shall not apply to the administration of a massage by coaches and trainers of students, amateur or professional athletes. Additionally, except as set forth in the following sentence, this definition also shall not apply to the administration of a massage by cosmetologists, barbers or persons licensed to practice a healing art pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 500 et seq., or the Chiropractic Act. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, this definition shall apply to the administration of a massage by an independent contractor of any person listed in the preceding sentence if the independent contractor is engaged in, or purports to be engaged in, the business of massage.

"Massage technician"

means any person who administers a massage to another person for monetary consideration.

"Specified anatomical areas"

means the following:

Less than completely and opaquely covered human genitals, pubic region, buttocks, and areola and nipple of the female breast;

Human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely and opaquely covered;

Any device, costume or covering that simulates any of the body parts included in subsections (1) or (2) herein.

(Ord. 06-1569 § 8, 2006; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)