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View Winners → Duarte Regulations Concern Therapist
Monrovia Weekly Apr 30, 2015
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By Joe Taglieri
Supporters of a local massage therapist who was cited for practicing without a license expressed their displeasure Tuesday to the Duarte City Council regarding the city’s ongoing revamp of regulations for massage businesses.
Roxana Ponce de Leon is facing a $300 fine after code enforcement officers caught her providing massage services at Bellagio Fountain of Youth Wellness Center, her business on Huntington Drive. Ponce de Leon applied for a massage license last April, but the city instituted a moratorium four months later on such licensing before her application process could be finalized.
Claudia Ponce de Leon, the massage therapist’s daughter, referenced California law that prohibits municipalities from unreasonably restricting a licensed service provider’s ability to work.
“Clearly the city prevented my mother, a state of California licensed massage professional, to practice her profession,” she said.
The average length of a massage application process is five or six months, Duarte Public Safety Director Brian Villalobos said in an interview.
“The application must be reviewed by the city’s Finance Department and meet the criteria of having the proper licensing, they then must go through the Community Development Department and meet the planning and zoning [requirements],” said Villalobos, who oversees code enforcement. “It requires an inspection by the Public Safety Department to make sure that the property is conforming with our codes, then all of that is put together and submitted for final approval by the Finance Department because they issue business licenses.”
Two clients praised Ponce de Leon for helping them lose 100 pounds and serving as a much-needed calming presence in their lives. Both suggested the city do more to encourage healing professions such as massage therapy rather than crack down on them via code enforcement efforts.
“To maintain a positive, calming sense when we’re in the middle of stress in our life, you need someone like Roxana,” Elizabeth Gallion told council members.
“The fact that you would need four undercover officers to come get this nice, beautiful woman is just a waste of city time, you should be encouraging her,” Gallion added.
“Not only is Roxana good, but she is still learning the art of a therapist to heal us, to make us feel better,” Lorraine Cheung said.
“She is not about money, she is a very caring person,” Cheung continued. “It’s about her art, and I think that all this nonsense that she has been put through is not doing her justice and is not doing the city of Duarte future clientele justice.”
“What you heard tonight was some frustration about those ongoing code enforcement activities,” City Attorney Jeffrey Melching told the council. “The adoption of the ordinance will end up removing the moratorium and allowing people to move forward from here.”
Villalobos said Ponce de Leon could potentially have to pay a $300 fine based on the citation she received, but due process affords her a hearing and the chance to request the city waive the fine and keep her business license in good standing.
The council has approved a number of changes to its massage business regulations. Some noteworthy municipal code revisions pertain to hours of operation, facility requirements, licensing, record keeping and city inspections.
