Merced looks to stamp out massage parlor prostitution

The Merced City Council will look at changes to local law related to massage parlors, some of which officials say have been able to fly under the radar as fronts for prostitution.

There are about 30 businesses in town that offer massages, according to city staff. One on 18th Street has been investigated or broken up by police multiple times for offering “sex acts” for money, according to police.

The council will discuss the new ordinance at the regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Merced City Hall, 678 W. 18th St.

Police have investigated the Sunflower Massage Parlor after it was one of several parlors and hotels targeted by police in 2013 during a large-scale prostitution sting that eventually netted 34 arrests, Merced police said.

The business, which in 2013 was listed as the “Sunflower Spa,” was shut down for a short time after the raids in September and October but reopened a few weeks later.

The new ordinance would require massage therapists new to Merced to get their licenses from the state rather than the city, which would come with stricter guidelines. That would go into effect in the new year.

Local therapists who already have a valid permit will have until 2026 to get a state certificate. The council asked for that change after a plea from one local therapist.

Also during Monday’s meeting, the council could award a $639,976 contract to Merced-based Taylor Service Backhoe Inc. for renovations at Stephen Leonard Park. The firm submitted a lower bid than a Madera company.

The state last year awarded $828,775 for a number of improvements to the park.

Stephen Leonard Park at Seventh and T streets is set to get a skate park, shade structures, splash pad, new playground equipment, climbing rocks, security cameras and bike racks. The project also includes benches, lights, drinking fountains, sprinkler controllers, tables, trees, sidewalks, and building repair and painting.

The city is eligible for the grant money from the state’s Housing-Related Parks Program because it completed two low-income housing projects in the area, Woodbridge and Gateway Terrace.

The park’s pool has sat unused for five or six years, according to city staff. It needs a $20,000 liner and a $7,000 lift to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Instead of making those fixes, the plan is to replace the pool with a splash pad – basically a water fountain people can play in – which doesn’t need lifeguard supervision and can stay open longer.

This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Merced looks to stamp out massage parlor prostitution."