Pierce County spa owners say ‘lazy’ enforcement damaged reputation
Pierce County defends red-tagging 50 businesses
A Graham spa owner and Navy veteran says his business was unfairly shamed during a Pierce County Fire Marshal sweep that red-tagged nearly 50 locations for code violations.
GRAHAM, Wash. - The owners of a Graham skincare business are speaking out against Pierce County officials after being swept up in a massive enforcement operation that shuttered nearly 50 local businesses last week.
Trey Maldonado, a Navy veteran and co-owner of Sun House Spa, said the April 28 visit from the Pierce County Fire Marshal and code enforcement felt more like a raid than a standard inspection.
The spa was one of dozens of locations "red-tagged" for fire, life safety, and building code violations, a move Maldonado claims has unfairly tarnished his family's livelihood.
Dozens of local businesses shut down after operation
The backstory:
The county-wide sweep targeted businesses classified as massage or spa facilities. However, Maldonado noted that Sun House Spa, which opened in January, does not offer massage services.
"She’s a master esthetician licensed in Washington and everything we do is skin care," Maldonado said of his wife’s work.
The owners expressed embarrassment over the red tag placed on their door, which suggested the business was involved in illegal activity. Maldonado said seeing a government sign implying they conducted "adult business" was particularly damaging.
Pierce County officials defended the action, stating that Sun House Spa lacked a valid certificate of occupancy. A certificate of occupancy is a formal document verifying that a building complies with all local codes and is safe for public use.
Maldonado said that because the couple made no structural modifications to the space when they opened, they did not believe a new certificate was required. He added that the business never received any prior notice regarding the issue before being shut down.
"We always try to do everything by the book," Maldonado said. "We want to make sure there's no problems."
Community concerns over enforcement
While Sun House Spa and several other businesses have since worked with the county to reopen, family members of the owners remain concerned about the county’s tactics.
Amy Le, Maldonado’s mother-in-law and a retired sheriff's captain, questioned the broad nature of the sweep and the lack of due process.
"If they're going around shutting down 50 businesses, and they're supposedly spa businesses, how many of those are really bad businesses that do illegal things?" Le asked.
Maldonado characterized the execution of the operation as "lazy," expressing fear that the stigma of the red tag will remain even though the business is back in operation.
The other side:
Pierce County officials declined to interview on camera, stating they stand by their initial enforcement actions.
In a statement, they said:
"At the time of inspection, a valid Certificate of Occupancy was not on file. With no one on site, inspectors relied on their observations, including how the space appeared to be used relative to allowed uses.
"We have since been in contact with the business owners to better understand their operation and address their concerns. Yesterday, they submitted a Certificate of Occupancy application, and the posted stop-work signage has been removed, allowing the business to reopen.
"We understand the concerns raised and have worked directly with the owners to move through the process and support reopening. We are working with several other businesses from this inspection effort, and a number have reopened after taking similar steps."
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Dan Griffin.