In the last Planning Commission of 2022, members approved a lot line adjustment so that In Shape City on Mitchell Road can expand its operations.

The commission met for the last time in 2022 on Nov. 21.

The adjustment consolidates two parcels – sized at 1.69 acres and 1.98 acres – at 1769 Mitchell Road. The action was required before the business can obtain building permits since improvements cannot straddle lot lines.

In August the way was cleared for In-Shape Health Club in Ceres to add an outdoor fitness area on the north side of its Mitchell Road facility. The Ceres Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow the addition, including a 36’ x 75’ outdoor pool, a 244-square-foot spa, and 600-square-foot pool equipment building – enclosed by a 10-foot-tall decorative metal black fence.

In Shape bought the neighboring vacant 1.69-acre lot for the addition.

The business plans to reconfigure existing restrooms at the north end to be accessible from the outdoor area. Plans also call for installing four 10-foot by 10-foot on the north side of the building and six windows of the same size on the west side. City staff said those windows will not provide visibility to any adjoining residences.

Additional parking of 54 stalls, landscaping and pole lighting will be added along the north, west, and east ends of the outdoor fitness area, which will be located west of Leslie’s Pool Supply.

The outdoor fitness area will be covered with a 6,000-square-foot metal canopy, and include pickleball courts and seating. Pickleball is is a racket/paddle sport that was created by combining elements of other racket sports. Two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a net. The ball is much like a Wiffle ball, with 26–40 round holes.

The 33,600-square-foot In Shape has been operating under a Conditional Use Permit approved in 2006.

After addressing city concerns about potential conflicts such as noise, lighting, and tree height, staff supported the project. 

The outdoor fitness area will be limited to operation from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekend.

The city told In Shape to consider that in the recent past some adjacent homeowners to the north had voiced concerns about any future building or landscaping blocking desired natural lighting from entering onto their residences. To be sensitive to their wishes, In Shape proposes a combination of evergreen and accent shrubs along the north and west perimeters due to their relative short height.

However, palm trees and a 10-foot tall decorative black metal fencing will be placed along the east end of the outside fitness area to enhance the look of the site.

In other action on Nov. 21 the commission approved a tentative parcel map to subdivide a 0.44-acre residential zoned parcel into two single-family residential lots at 3605 Ninth Street.