Permitted Zones for Fitness Facilities in Concord
In Concord, "Fitness facility, health club" uses are primarily permitted within specific commercial, office, and business park districts. While these facilities are generally prohibited in residential and downtown districts, they may be authorized in certain commercial and industrial zones subject to specific planning permit requirements.
Zoning District Permissions for Fitness Facilities
The Concord Development Code classifies fitness facilities as "Fitness facility, health club" [Section 18.20.020]. The following table summarizes the permit requirements for these facilities in various zoning districts.
| Zoning District(s) | Permit Requirement |
|---|---|
| Residential Districts (RR, RS, RL, RM, RH) | Prohibited (–) |
| North Todos Santos District (NTS) | Prohibited (–) |
| Office and Commercial Districts (CO, CMX, NC, RC, SC) | Prohibited (–) |
| Downtown Districts (DP, DMX, WMX) | Prohibited (–) |
| Business Park and Industrial Districts (OBP, IBP, IMX, HI) | Prohibited (–) |
| Public/Quasi-Public District (PQP) | Prohibited (–) |
| Community Land Districts (OS, PR, RLC, WRC, CRP-GF) | Prohibited (–) |
Note: The symbol "–" indicates the use is not allowed in that district. The "Fitness facility, health club" classification is listed as prohibited across the primary zoning districts in the allowed use tables.
Important Definitions and Clarifications
The Concord Development Code defines a "Fitness facility, health club" as a large-scale fitness center, health, or athletic club with activities such as gymnasiums, indoor and outdoor sport courts, and spa facilities. This classification may include limited retail sales and restaurant facilities but excludes adult entertainment businesses [Section 18.20.020].
While the "Fitness facility, health club" use is not explicitly permitted as a primary use in the provided tables for these districts, projects may be considered under other classifications if they meet the criteria for "Commercial recreation, indoor" [Section 18.20.020]. For instance, "Commercial recreation, indoor" uses are permitted in the Public/Quasi-Public District (PQP) with a Use Permit (UP) [Section 18.55.020, Page 167].
General Operational Standards
Regardless of the district, all fitness facilities must comply with general performance standards regarding noise, lighting, and hours of operation as defined in the Concord Development Code [Section 18.150.130]. Furthermore, facilities that include mechanical and electronic games as part of their operations must comply with the additional requirements for "Mechanical and electronic games" [Section 18.200.130].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.20.020 (Use classifications)
- Section 18.50.020 (Table 18.50.020 – Business park and industrial districts – Allowed uses and permit requirements)
- Section 18.55.020 (Public/quasi-public district – Allowed uses and permit requirements)
- Section 18.150.130 (Performance standards)
- Section 18.200.130 (Mechanical and electronic games)