PEARLAND, Texas - The City of Pearland is taking steps to tighten the massage parlor industry.
On Monday, the planning and zoning committee unanimously recommended requiring future massage parlors to have a Conditional Use Permit, or CUP, from the city.
“It’s part of an application process to say, 'I have a certain type of business, and I’d like this business to be in this certain area and does that make sense,'” said Joshua Lee, city Communication Director.
Leading the push for requiring a CUP is massage studio owner Lety Ler.
“We actually do have a couple brothels in our city,” Ler said. “And being in the massage business, I just couldn’t believe that was in our community.”
There are several Pearland massage parlors on what’s called "Rubmaps," a website dedicated to erotic massage parlor reviews. Ler says that type of activity is what’s driving customers with the wrong idea into her legitimate business.
“I think we need to do something, and here in Pearland, I’m really excited that we’re taking the first steps to make change,” Ler said.
Now city council must vote on the CUP measure twice to change the law. Learn more about how Conditional Use Permits are handled in Pearland here.