Schaumburg likely to step up massage parlor regulations

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday are poised to adopt changes to the village's massage establishment regulations based on 15 months of stepped-up enforcement by the police department's Special Operations unit.

The new rules call for greater scrutiny when business licenses are applied for, a more specific prohibition against people living on the premises, and a requirement that external windows into the lobby be unobstructed.

However, massage businesses would be allowed to operate until 10 p.m. rather than the current 9 p.m.

Schaumburg Police Chief Jim Lamkin said the regulations would provide greater assurance that massage businesses are legitimate, and their staying open an hour later should not be a problem.

During the past 15 months, Schaumburg police officers have enforced the existing massage establishment regulations through both unannounced inspections and undercover stings, Lamkin said. In that time, the department issued 61 administrative adjudication tickets and arrested eight people who subsequently were charged with prostitution.

The enforcement efforts led to the suspension of business licenses at seven establishments and the permanent closure of two.

The newly recommended regulations include the automatic denial of a business license if either the applicant or the owner of the premises has had a similar license denied anywhere in the state during the previous five years.

More information about the type of business and a copy of its lease also would be required for a license. And property owners would be notified of any tickets or arrests on their premises.

While Lamkin couldn't say whether massage establishments have been disproportionately violating existing nonresidency laws, officers observed unusual amounts of clothing and food during the recent enforcement efforts.

This led to the more specific prohibition against anyone living on the premises in the new rules.

"It's supposed to be a business, it's not supposed to be a residence," Lamkin said.

Trustees are expected to vote on the regulations at the village board meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. at 101 Schaumburg Court. If approved, the new rules would take effect when they're published in pamphlet form on March 22.