The Green Valley Civic Association (GVCA) opposes the proposed 30,500 square foot Life Time Fitness club at The Farm development in Poway. As a community leader for over 60 years, we believe this proposal does not align with the community’s long-term vision and needs. We have urged Poway City Council NOT to approve modifications to “The Farm” Specific Plan, which currently allows for a 2,953 square foot fitness club.
Why we Oppose the LifeTime Club
The significant 10x increase in the size of the proposed LifeTime club raises serious concerns, particularly regarding traffic safety. A critical issue is that Goodeve Drive, a 25mph residential street, would serve as the main access point to this commercial development. The additional traffic generated by such a large facility would pose a danger to residents, especially children playing in their yards and at the neighborhood park on Goodeve.
Moreover, our recent survey completed by over 440 local residents revealed that nearly 80% are opposed to the Life Time proposal, with 72% preferring the originally approved 3,000 square foot fitness club. Only 37% of respondents expressed any interest in seeing other proposals for the site. These numbers clearly indicate that the majority of the community does not support the Life Time Fitness plan and values maintaining the integrity of the Specific Plan.
Survey Results
We believe, a smaller, community-focused fitness club, as originally envisioned in the Specific Plan, would be far more appropriate, and beneficial for the residents of The Farm, and Poway as a whole.
City Council Hearing
The City Council of Poway will hold a meeting on Tuesday, July 16th at 7 pm at Poway City Hall, located at 13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway. The agenda includes two significant items related to LifeTime:
Agenda Item 18: A public hearing on the proposed Specific Plan Amendment, Development Review, and Conditional Use Permit. This proposal is for the construction of a 30,500 square foot recreation club and accessory uses. To be effective, it requires approval by at least 50% of the voters as per “Prop FF”.
Agenda Item 19: Staff’s report for consideration of placing the measure on the ballot for the General Municipal Election on November 5, 2024.
You can provide written comments to council prior to the meeting or speak at the meeting. You can also view the meeting online at Poway City Council Meetings.