91原创 City is going to public hearing with its move to limit where spas, beauty parlours, reflexology centres, and massage businesses can locate.

The City is rewriting its bylaw to require at least 400 metres between such businesses and the issue goes to public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 17.

鈥淭his is primarily in response to a request from the DLBA,鈥� said Carl Johannsen, City director of Development Services.

The change includes new and updated commercial use definitions and buffer distances.

鈥淭he intent of this update is to continue to maintain the variety of speciality retail, restaurants and personal services in the downtown and also maintain the pedestrian-oriented streetscapes that the downtown is known for,鈥� Johannsen said.

In February, the Downtown 91原创 Business Association asked the City for limits.

鈥淲e are making this request simply due to the high concentration of these businesses in our community, and we want to make it clear that we are not opposed to the ones that are actually operating as spas,鈥� DLBA chair Carole Ward wrote in a letter to the City. 鈥淎s you may already be aware, to the best of our knowledge there are currently well over 50 spas (including hair removal/waxing, nail salons and massage parlours/spas) within the BIA, and these types of businesses are now back-filling most of our vacant spaces.鈥�

The DLBA reiterated the same concerns and same request in a letter to the City in April.

The City bylaw had鈥漰reviously been amended to apply 400m separation distances between certain commercial uses, such as thrift stores, cheque cashing, vape stores and tattoo parlours to maintain a variety of commercial businesses in the historic downtown,鈥� she wrote in April.

Ward noted that the limits on those other types of businesses have 鈥減revented the over-concentration of specific uses, which we feel may detract from the vibrancy, range of economic activity, and pedestrian-friendly environment of the downtown.鈥�

Johannsen explained that the proposed changes fit with downtown master plan and official community plan, adding that the changes only apply to new businesses.

鈥淚t won鈥檛 impact existing operating businesses. They鈥檒l still be able to operate,鈥� he said.

Council didn鈥檛 have any discussion on the proposed bylaw before voting unanimously to move ahead.

Complete details on the bylaw and public hearing process are on the City website, city.langley.bc.ca.

Impacted are:

a) Beauty and Wellness Centers means premises, including beauty salons and barber shops, used to provide beauty and wellness improvement services through hair styling, cutting or chemical treatment or through skin or other body & nail treatments including pedicures, manicures, facials, lashes, microdermabrasion, microblading, permanent make-up, waxing, and laser, hydro, anti-aging, or skin rejuvenation therapy.

b) Personal Health Enhancement Centers means premises used for the provision of therapies intended to enhance health through such techniques as Shiatsu, acupressure, reflexology, bio-kinesiology, hellework, polarity, reiki, rolfing and trager approach and includes other touch therapies and techniques but does not include Registered Massage Therapy Clinics or Beauty and Wellness Centers.

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鈥� READ MORE: City limits where vape stores, tattoo parlours can locate

鈥� READ MORE: City council approves thrift store limitations

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