The commission discussed requests to permit indoor recreation uses — including gyms, dance and martial-arts studios, trampoline or extreme-sports facilities, and adult concessions — in the city’s LM1 (light-manufacturing) and industrial zones. Staff noted the indoor-recreation category covers a wide range of uses and suggested limiting specific high-impact activities through size or conditional-use standards. “The indoor recreation category of uses in the code includes a really wide range of, indoor recreation uses…bowling alley, shooting range, swimming pools, skating rinks,” Libby Grage said, and staff asked the commission for direction on which of those uses, if any, should be allowed in the industrial and LM1 zones.

Commissioners generally favored a cautious approach. Several commissioners said lower-impact after-hours uses such as CrossFit, dance studios or small health clubs could be appropriate if subject to size limits or conditional-use review, while larger draws such as arenas, convention centers or movie theaters would be less appropriate in industrial areas and should stay in commercial zones. Commissioner Currier suggested making borderline uses conditional rather than outright permitted so the city could evaluate impacts case-by-case. Commissioners raised concerns about preserving working waterfront operations and the industrial employment base while allowing re-use of underutilized warehouse space. Staff said it would return with a recommended breakdown (for example, 'category 1' permitted uses and 'category 2' conditional uses), suggested size limits, and sample code language tying allowances to site characteristics and parking/operational controls.