Planning Board recommends zoning change to allow small fitness studios

The Planning Board voted to recommend a zoning text amendment that would explicitly allow small fitness studios in the town's personal service use category.

Attorney Brian Sinsbaugh, representing the petitioner, said the change would regularize an existing 1,600-square-foot operation in Sir John's Plaza. "Our petitioner operates MDM Fit, which is a 1,600 square foot commercial space in the Sir John's Plaza," he told the board, and asked that the definition be updated to add a new definition for "fitness studios" capped at 2,000 square feet.

Planning staff and board members characterized the proposed text change as narrowly targeted to smaller fitness uses and asked only that the applicant keep the studio size constrained so it remains similar to other personal services. A motion to issue a positive recommendation to the town board passed unanimously at the meeting.

Next steps: the board will forward a positive recommendation to the town board for the formal zoning change process.