Chico Massage & Wellness Alliance
Local information hub for massage therapy and wellness advocacy in Chico
This page serves as a communication hub for Chico massage therapists, massage businesses, and other stakeholders in our local professional massage community.The Alliance welcomes all who are impacted by changes to local massage regulations, including clients, landlords, wellness practitioners, and others who share space or collaborate with massage therapists. Together, we aim to ensure that local policies support safe, ethical, and sustainable practices in our community.
Current Issue: Proposed Chico Massage Ordinance
The Chico City Council is considering a new ordinance regulating massage businesses. If passed as proposed, this ordinance could significantly affect massage therapists, wellness providers, landlords, and clients in our community. It is intended to address human trafficking concerns, but it also introduces new licensing and operational requirements that will impact legitimate businesses.Please the links below to access the City Council resources, including agendas, and the proposed ordinance.
Click the link above to access the meeting agenda. The proposed massage ordinance is item 4.2. You can click this link in the agenda to play the recording of the item discussion and community commentary.
Click the link above to read the full text of the proposed massage ordinance. At the 8/19/25 meeting, the Council voted to provide a "focus" group, including local professionals in revision of the ordinance at the next Internal Affairs Subcommittee meeting (see next link).
Click the link above to see upcoming meetings of the Chico City Council subcommittee: Internal Affairs. This partial panel of Council members meets on the first Monday of each month at 1 pm in Conference Room 1. Additional Special Meetings can be called as needed.
Click the link above to access the full packet for the Internal Affairs meeting held Monday, September 8, 2025. The massage ordinance and additional reference items are on pages 257-286.
Click the link above to view a scanned amendment to the proposed ordinance. This amendment is intended to ease onboarding of existing professionals in situations where CAMTC (California Massage Therapy Council) certification is not possible or would be a hardship.The document was distributed at the Internal Affairs meeting on September 9, 2025. The subcommittee proposed and passed that Code Enforcement take input on the ordinance and the amendment over the next two weeks. An update from this meeting will be added to the City Council agenda on September 16, 2025.The ordinance requires two readings at City Council meetings before it can be passed. The timeline for the first and second readings has not been announced. However, it was clear in the Internal Affairs meeting that the process will proceed at the next feasible opportunity, without delay or additional public input.Next Steps:
To participate, contact Charlene Durkin, Code Enforcement Supervisor, to share your comments and input during this critical time. For convenience, contact information for all City Council members is listed below.
| Name | Phone | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlene Durkin | [email protected] | o.530.879.6314 c.530.720.2485 | Code Enforcement Supervisor |
| Kasey Reynolds | [email protected] | 530.966.446 | District 2 and Mayor |
| Dale Bennett | [email protected] | 530-680-3156 | District 3 and Vice Mayor |
| Bryce Goldstein | [email protected] | 530-433-0946 | District 7 |
| Katie Hawley | [email protected] | 530-433-4377 | District 5 |
| Mike O'Brien | [email protected] | 530-513-3085 | District 1 |
| Tom van Overbeek | [email protected] | 425-985-2139 | District 6 |
| Addison Winslow | [email protected] | 530-433-4795 | District 4 |
Alliance Resources
Please click the links below to access the resources reviewed at the meeting:
Click the link above to review a quick summary of the ordinance highlights. This summary is intended to help stakeholders focus on the sections most relevant to them, without needing to read the full 30-page document.
Click the link above to view a collection of flow charts and diagrams to show the requirements for practitioners, business owners (massage and other modalities), and property owners.
Slides will be posted after the meeting for reference.
Upcoming Meeting
WHO: All Chico massage therapists, related industry professionals, leaseholders, business owners, and clients
WHAT: Informational meeting to discuss ordinance requirements and organize a response
WHEN: Monday, September 15, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM
WHERE (in-person): Chico Massage School, 815 E 5th Ave, Chico, CA 95926
WHERE (online): via Zoom
Meeting ID: 847 2823 5026
Password: 243490*Come back to watch the recording if you are unable to attend.
Community Feedback
Your input matters. We want to represent our local massage and wellness community accurately to those making decisions about our livelihoods. This survey will collect collective data on Chico massage therapists, bodyworkers, and other related modalities.
Anonymous & Confidential: No names, emails, or other identifying information are collected.Purpose: We are gathering information to understand how local professionals operate, what certifications and modalities they hold, and experiences relevant to the proposed ordinance.Data Use: Responses will be summarized in aggregate form only, helping the Alliance provide evidence-based feedback to the City Council.The survey will include both quantitative questions (e.g., certification, licensure, business setup) and qualitative questions (e.g., experiences, challenges, shared space situations). This helps us capture the diversity of practices and concerns in our community.
Contact the Alliance
If you have questions, ideas, or additional information you’d like to share, you can reach the Alliance directly. This is completely optional — you are not required to provide your name or contact information.
Fill out this form to get email updates, next steps, and calls to action.Email us directly: [email protected]
