Golden Pond still open

Windsor Town staff exploring whether to revoke permit
for business where woman was arrested on suspicion of prostitution
March 9
By SARAH LEWERS, Staff Writer
Golden Pond Hydrotherapy is still open for business following
the March 9 arrest of Pathana Syothay, 32, at the Windsor
establishment.
The Santa Rosa woman was arrested on suspicion of prostitution
following a three-month sting investigation by the Sonoma County
Sheriff’s Department. Deputies served search warrants for Golden
Pond and nearby Osaka Therapy and Shiatsu after an undercover
officer was propositioned for sex in both locations.
Two women were arrested at Osaka on suspicion of prostitution.
Osaka was also slapped with a red-tag order citing substandard and
hazardous electrical conditions from the county permit and resource
management department and has remained closed.
But Golden Pond Hydrotherapy, located inside Town limits remains
up and running.
Linda Nichols, owner of Elizabeth’s Wig and Hair Salon, shares a
building with Golden Pond and said the massage parlor re-opened
March 14.
&#8220There’s still men going in there, absolutely,” Nichols
said. When asked if she believed women were engaging in
prostitution at Golden Pond, Nichols responded, &#8220Well, if
they were before, why wouldn’t they now?”
Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Satterwhitt said Golden Pond has a permit to
do business in Windsor and may keep the doors open &#8220as
long as they’re within their permit.”
Windsor Police Chief Steve Freitas knows the massage parlor is
still operating but declined to say if police were keeping an eye
on Golden Pond.
&#8220It’s not something I’d want to discuss in the paper,”
he said. Freitas did confirm that his department treats
prostitution the same as any other crime.
&#8220Prostitution is a criminal activity that, when it
comes to our attention, the police department will enforce it like
we do all other laws,” Freitas said.
Freitas declined to comment on whether Windsor police have
opened an investigation into alleged prostitution at Golden Pond,
and said the town is still examining civil options to close the
business.
&#8220The town needs to explore what options they would have
under building or planning ordinances,” he said.
Which is exactly what the town is doing, according to Planning
Director Peter Chamberlin.
&#8220What the town is looking at is whether they violated
their use permit,” he said. Chamberlin explained Golden Pond’s
permit is specific to the business and has conditions that must be
met to remain in compliance.
&#8220What I’m doing right now is consulting with the town
attorney. What we’re looking at is a potential revocation of the
use permit,” he said.
Permit conditions stipulate the business must be run by a
licensed massage therapist and that copies of massage school
diplomas or certificates, massage school transcripts of and proof
of identity for each massage therapist be provided to the planning
department prior to the start of employment.
A woman answered the phone at Golden Pond Tuesday, and directed
inquiries to a Christopher Hall for more information. The woman
said she didn’t know if the business would close.
Hall, when reached, identified himself as an attorney, but
refused to say whether he was retained by Golden Pond’s owner.
&#8220I’m not going to comment about the case,” he said.
Planning Director Chamberlin said no information under the name
of the woman who picked up the phone at Golden Pond was on file
with the planning department, and said the business is
&#8220not current with what’s required of them.”
The permit revocation process, if initiated, could be lengthy
and may involve a hearing, even if the establishment is found to be
in violation of the permit.
&#8220If we don’t get voluntary compliance — you know, they
cease business — then we would schedule a hearing and consider
revocation of the use permit for violation of conditions,”
Chamberlin said.
It would then be up to the hearing body to revoke the permit. If
the hearing body were the planning commission, Chamberlin said, any
decision could be appealed to the Town Council, who could order
Golden Pond to cease operations.
It’s all a part of due process and it all takes time. Meanwhile,
Linda Nichols continues to struggle with the allegations of a
brothel next door.
She sent a letter to the sheriff’s department outlining concerns
such as increased litter, alcohol consumption and men urinating in
the parking lot.
&#8220It really reflects on everybody’s nice business that
we’ve really worked for,” Nichols said. &#8220It’s really
disgusting.”
She recently purchased a new alarm system because she feels it’s
necessary to safeguard her establishment.
&#8220I had an alarm system and I chose to get a better one
because I feel like I need to protect my business with so many
scruffy people around when I’m not here,” Nichols said, adding that
the Golden Pond remains open until ten or eleven o’clock at
night.
&#8220I have even had scruffy looking men come in my shop
and then realize they are in the wrong shop and that they wanted
the services of Golden Pond,” her letter to the sheriff’s
department states.
&#8220They are back, we are all unhappy they are back,”
Nichols said. &#8220I just don’t understand why something can’t
be done at a faster pace.”
Relief may still be far off for Nichols and the other tenants of
the Windsor shopping center where Golden Pond is located.
&#8220It takes a couple weeks to go through the evaluation,”
Chamberlin said. &#8220The police are still watching it, and we
still have people informing us about activities out there, in terms
of neighbors and what they see. We get calls.
&#8220It’s just an unfortunate circumstance that you have
bad apples at times, it just makes it very tough.”