Annoyed By Health Nuts? Santa Monica May Legislate
Pictured is an outdoor exercise class in Long Beach, Calif. overlooking the port.
The most popular places to exercise in California include vistas with ocean views, mountain peaks, and any place that inspires. Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag, but it has become one for some residents of crowded L.A. cities such as Santa Monica, where new laws could regulate instructors of outdoor fitness classes. A proposal to prohibit group classes in 7 parks, charge fitness instructors a $100 permit fee and 15% of revenue, require trainers to carry insurance and limit classes to fewer than 150 people was reviewed by the City Council in Santa Monica and will come back to them for review. Such legislation isn’t new. In Santa Cruz, for instance, surf instructors must pay license fees to teach classes at public beaches.
Proposals to create more regulation and fees include:
- California State Parks may begin collecting fees for parking at Northern California beaches that have free parking, and raising fees at Southern California beaches to $20 during the most popular beach days.
- Costa Mesa City Council last week discussed charging out-of-towners for using the city’s dog park.
