The Ceres Planning Commission gave the green light Monday evening for Christopher Rodriguez to bring Total Player Academy to an existing 4,800-square-foot space in an industrial building just west of the Ceres Memorial Park.
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) was needed to set up shop and make tenant improvements at 2216 Cedarvale Drive, Suite B.
Rodriguez proposes reuse of existing warehouse and office space for supervised indoor baseball, softball and athletic performance instruction. No building expansion or outdoor athletic facilities are proposed.
Total Player Academy will provide year-round baseball, softball, and general athletic development instruction. Proposed activities include batting cages, pitching, catching, and throwing instruction, defensive skills training, strength and conditioning, speed and agility development, private and small-group lessons, team training and scheduled camps and clinics.
The conceptual floor plan outlines four batting cages, a workout area, reception and office areas, and the existing restroom. Improvements will include rubber gym flooring, padded athletic turf within the cage areas, protective netting, training equipment, and potential modifications to existing office partitions. Final tenant improvements will be subject to building and fire review and permit requirements.
All activities would be restricted to the enclosed building.
The applicant anticipates training on weekday afternoons and evenings and portions of weekends. Operations would primarily consist of scheduled lessons, classes, training blocks, team sessions, camps, and clinics, with approximately one to three employees or coaches per shift.
The applicant won permission to have maximum operating hours of weekdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Conditions regulate hours, attendance, noise levels, parking and circulation. Class times will be staggered to make sure parking isn’t a problem.
Commissioner Bob Gobble said Rodriguez has a “pretty impressive resume going,” noting how he played for the University of the Pacific.
Rodriguez said that because of the relatively smaller size, the numbers will have to be kept on the lighter side, suggesting classes of six to 12 youth at any given session.
He suggested the youngest to be trained is age nine to college age. Some he is already training are in the professional ranks.
“I just want to thank you for bringing this opportunity to Ceres specifically,” said Commission chairman Gary M. Condit. “We lack youth opportunities tremendously in this city and I know we almost lost you to Modesto and I’m really thankful you stuck this process out.”
The approval came in a 4-0 vote with Commissioner R.J. Jammu absent.
