Title
Consider an ordinance amending the Zoning and Development Code Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-48 and Article VII, Section 2-91, Code of Ordinances (2018 Edition) regarding Sports Training Facilities and Specialty Gyms in the BP (Business Park) District. (First Reading)*
Body
Background:
The City's Zoning and Development Code limits the use of gyms in certain zoning districts. Currently, in the BP (Business Park) zoning district, commercial gyms are only permitted to serve the employee population of the business park. Sports training facilities/specialty gyms are not permitted in the BP zoning district. The code defines sports training facilities/specialty gyms as follows:
A facility, wholly enclosed within a building, designed for individual training in team sports or fitness-related activities. Includes baseball, gymnastics, martial arts, cheerleading, rock climbing, weight lifting, game courts and other fitness-related activities. Does not include Indoor Entertainment Activities.
Proposed Revision:
Staff proposes amendments to Sections 2-48 & 2-91 of the Zoning & Development Code to allow for sports training facilities/specialty gyms as a permitted use with supplementary standards in the BP (Business Park) district. The supplementary use standard would allow such uses to be limited to 5,000 square feet of gross floor area to be consistent with the scale of business park development and prevent land use conflicts with other businesses in the business park.
Justification for Change:
The BP zoning district was introduced in the 2002 Zoning Ordinance. The intent of the district is to facilitate campus-style business parks within the city. To date, only three parcels are zoned BP. The district is outdated since major employers tend to construct office/warehouse or single-use office buildings to accommodate their business needs and no longer rely on a traditional suburban business park development style. The City will likely rethink the need for the BP zoning district in the future. In the meantime, specialty sports & training centers are in high demand, and the City supports this type of development in these underutilized business park zoned tracts.
At its August 20, 2025, meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the code amendment by a vote of 7-0. There were no speakers during the public hearing.