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The Diaper Spa denied permit to operate in New Hampshire town
Neighbors came out in droves to speak against The Diaper Spa Wednesday as the spa’s owner sought to clear up misconceptions about the controversial business.
New Hampshire officials denied a home business permit for the controversial Diaper Spa Wednesday after neighbors spoke out against the operation, raising concerns about property values, traffic, and the community’s family-friendly character.
The Atkinson-based Diaper Spa generated controversy last month after neighbors circulated a petition voicing their dissatisfaction with the nursery-like business, which caters to adults who wear diapers and role play as children.
Those neighbors turned out in droves Wednesday as the town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment weighed the home business application from Dr. Colleen Ann Murphy, owner of The Diaper Spa. In her pitch, Murphy emphasized that while she is a medical doctor, The Diaper Spa is a non-medical business and would not provide diagnoses, treatments, or prescriptions.
“It offers a safe and nonjudgmental environment for individuals seeking comfort and solace,” she explained. “The services are strictly platonic and exclusively operate on my own property, with visits limited to one client at a time.”
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Murphy acknowledged that she saw clients at her home for around four to six weeks before realizing she needed a permit to operate, though she previously told Boston.com that the vast majority of her business to date involved telehealth services and life coaching.
Addressing some of the backlash Wednesday, she asserted that neighbors misunderstood or misinterpreted The Diaper Spa and its proposed services, which at one point included a $1,500 all-day “Diaper B&B” experience.
“Why do you think that is?” asked Zoning Board Chair Glenn Saba.
“I think because they are not the audience for these types of services, and therefore they don’t understand the specific language or the specific idea regarding the concept,” Murphy replied.
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She acknowledged that The Diaper Spa website — which she’s since updated — initially had language that might be confusing or uncomfortable for those outside the adult baby/diaper lovers (ABDL) community.
Murphy also offered further insight into her clientele, noting that she only takes clients aged 21 and older. Part of her screening process, she said, includes running a background check, talking with prospective clients about their goals, and ensuring there is no sexual interest in The Diaper Spa’s services.
What neighbors said about The Diaper Spa
The room was packed at Wednesday’s hearing as community members clambered to share their thoughts.
Several neighbors said they’ve seen increased traffic in the area since The Diaper Spa made national headlines, though Paul Lovvik, who co-owns the home with Murphy, argued that the increased traffic was due to “salacious” media coverage and not the spa itself.
“There’s a lot out there that’s just not true, and I hope that we don’t make a decision based on things we read on the internet, but rather the facts of the case,” Lovvik said.
Others suggested the spa would be more suited to a commercial space than a residential neighborhood, and Zoning Board Vice-Chair Robert Connors shared his belief that The Diaper Spa is not a home business in the spirit of the town’s ordinance.
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“And not only that, we’re talking about maybe $50 million of surrounding property value that’s been instantly decreased,” abutter Mike Vigliotta chimed in. “I moved in Dec. 14 to my home. If I go to sell it right now, there’s a whole group of people with families that are never going to look at my house.”
Many speakers cited The Diaper Spa’s proximity to a local park and its potential impact on the community’s children, despite Murphy’s assurance that all services would be provided at her home.
One woman claimed her daughter was afraid to sleep in her own bed at night after hearing about The Diaper Spa at school, while other neighbors raised concerns about dangerous individuals somehow slipping through Murphy’s background check undetected. At least one person suggested that The Diaper Spa could attract people who harbor pedophilic fantasies — a claim Murphy resoundingly rejected.
“In general and specifically, the people who are seeking this type of immersion experience are people who want to pretend to be children, not who are interested in children,” she said. “There is no association with pedophilia.”
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Sheryl Egan, whose grandchildren live in town, echoed concerns about how The Diaper Spa might change the neighborhood’s family-friendly character.
“It’s peaceful, it’s quiet, it’s safe,” she said. “Now we’re going to invite all these people in who are — as she’s advertised — from all over the place that have obviously issues that we should feel sorry for. But is that really the place to take care of them, in a neighborhood like this?”
The verdict
While he acknowledged that it took “a lot of guts” for Murphy to pursue the home business application and make her case before the Zoning Board, Connors ultimately balked at the proposal.
“You’ve got to agree with us. I mean, put yourself in everybody else’s shoes,” he said. “Nobody has heard of this stuff, and you can say, ‘You just don’t understand.’ … But there’s hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that don’t understand because this is not something that’s a customary home occupation, and that’s where I can’t get past this.”
The rest of the board seemed to agree, rejecting The Diaper Spa’s application following a brief discussion. Murphy has 30 days to appeal the decision.
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