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Neighbors are feeling less than enthused about those outdoor boot camp classes (especially the early 6 a.m. ones) at Silver Lake Meadow—and are working to make it a little harder to run those classes.
They've been complaining that the fitness classes are too loud, and that running businesses at parks or open spaces just isn't right, according to The Eastsider.
City officials at an Arts, Parks Health, Aging & River Committee last night voted 3-2 in favor of a revised ordinance would allow the city regulate and issue vending permits. The proposed law is now on its way to city hall. The original ordinance allowed city officials to shut down businesses without permits vending in the city; however, it was suspended after folks thought that it violated free speech laws. The newly revised one would adhere to free speech protections.
However, this wouldn't just affect fitness instructors—it would also include food (ahem bacon-wrapped hot dogs) and clothes vendors. City council members Gil Cedillo and Curren D. Price voted against the ordinance because they didn't agree with how the law would make vending in city parks a misdemeanor; they believe that would make it so that immigrant vendors could get deported or have problems applying for citizenship.
Silver Lake residents aren't the first to be up in arms over restricting outdoor fitness classes. Last October, the Santa Monica City Council voted 5-1 to set restrictions on outdoor workout classes—especially at Palisades Park. That included requiring trainers to pay an annual fee to use the public areas and prohibiting classes on Sundays.
A local resident also complained about a regular yoga class held at a grassy knoll in Echo Park last October, saying on a forum that the person running the class was making money off a "prime lawn space" at the park.
However, Los Angeles Magazine made an argument for the fitness classes at public spaces back in April:
Healthy parks are populated parks, after all. Herein lies the paradox of boot camps: Even if they disrupt your romantic picnic or box in your kid’s birthday party, boot camps undeniably draw more people into parks, often in the wee hours, making a morning jog seem safer for all.
