I want to express my support for Aerial Gymnastics Club and their place in the community. I have seen firsthand the dedication and professionalism of the staff at AGC and know there is no ill intent in the location of their business. If another business is concerned that their new location will affect their business, then they should look internally at their practices.

AGC is a woman and minority-owned gymnastics facility preparing to open in the beach cities community. Their mission is to provide inclusive, high-quality gymnastics instruction and training for athletes of all ages and abilities in our neighborhood. AGC will be bringing new jobs, opportunities to boost our local economy, contributing to the health and wellness of local residents, and supporting youth development through positive athletic experiences. As a woman and minority-owned small business, AGC will face unique challenges in establishing themselves in any marketplace. Fit Kids does not face these same challenges. These are facts that are important to consider. Parents, guardians, and most importantly, the athletes, deserve to have diverse options when it comes to coaching and instruction, particularly in youth activities that predominantly serve girls. Having a minority, woman-owned gymnastics facility provides important representation and diverse perspectives in our community. There is room for diversity. There is room for multiple perspectives. There is room for multiple gymnastics options to serve different needs within our area. The presence of choice and healthy competition benefits our community by providing more options, different specialties, and accommodating more students overall. I support AGC and recognize the value of having diverse business ownership in our community. I believe that AGC will make positive contributions to our local economy and community well-being.

I want to express my strong opposition to the proposed Aerial Gymnastics Club. Locating a second gymnastics business immediately adjacent to Fit Kids Gymnastics Center, a valued community institution thriving for nearly four decades, raises serious concerns.
The suspicious proximity alone warrants scrutiny. Redondo Beach is not so underserved in gymnastics that we require two competing businesses on the very same block. This isn't about meeting public demand; it feels like a calculated move.
Adding to this suspicion is the applicant's history. This isn't the first time this individual has opened a gymnastics venture in close proximity to Fit Kids – a similar situation occurred in Torrance. Given this pattern and a known personal connection to Fit Kids, the intent appears less about community enrichment and more about direct business usurpation.
Redondo Beach deserves thoughtful economic growth, diversification, and businesses that fill genuine needs. Allowing this redundant saturation within a single block sets a dangerous precedent. Our zoning regulations should protect against such transparent attempts at business raiding, fostering an environment of healthy growth that benefits the wider community, not just a select few engaging in what appears to be business warfare. I urge the Commission to deny this application.

I would like to request that this committee look into the intentions of the parties here and decipher what is truly driving the petition to open alongside Fit Kids, a longstanding pillar in the gymnastics community and city. As I understand it, there may be other motivating factors that extend beyond traditional business concerns considering there appears to be some personal history here between the two business owners. I am all for healthy competition, but as a city, we must protect our business owners who contribute so much to the youth and ensure both can thrive without harming the other. My fear is that a new business with the same audience moving right next door might create the opportunity for one business to undercut the other and unfair competition might ensue. We need to make sure all can survive. Is there not another location that might serve more of the population not currently served by Fit Kids? We wouldn’t put a McDonalds with one franchise owner adjoining another McDonalds with a different franchise owner would we? Wouldn’t we space them out to better serve the needs of the community? To reach more people who may not be served by the initial owner in the location? That seems prudent. My wish is that the committee makes an objetive finding for what best serves the city as a a whole taking this into consideration. Thank you.

Public Comment Opposing Permit for Aerial Gymnastics Club – Planning Commission Hearing
Good evening, Commissioners.
I’m here to voice strong opposition to the proposed opening of Aerial Gymnastics Club directly adjacent to Fit Kids Gymnastics Center in Redondo Beach—a gym my daughter attended that has faithfully served local families for nearly four decades. The proposed location is not just close—it is literally next door. This is not a coincidence; it’s a calculated move.
The applicant behind Aerial Gymnastics Club is not a stranger to Fit Kids. In fact, they have a long-standing personal and professional connection to the owners of Fit Kids and previously attempted a similar tactic by opening a competing facility in close proximity in Torrance. This pattern suggests not an intent to grow or diversify our community’s offerings, but rather to poach clientele and destabilize a beloved, community-rooted business.
From a planning perspective, this proposal fails to demonstrate any meaningful public benefit or unmet need. Redondo Beach is not suffering from a shortage of youth gymnastics programs. In fact, placing two nearly identical businesses side-by-side is not only redundant—it’s counterproductive. This kind of business saturation in a single block does not represent smart zoning or sustainable growth. It encourages zero-sum competition that can ultimately damage the economic fabric of our city.
Additionally, Fit Kids Gymnastics has been located in the City of Redondo Beach for decades and provided the city with a multi-level competitive gymnastics team, generating revenue for the city as well as a stellar reputation. Approving this permit would not be supporting economic development—it would be enabling another business access to current and potential clients of an already established Redondo Beach business.
Redondo Beach deserves better. We deserve thoughtful development that serves a broader section of our community, not strategic placement intended to undermine long-standing local institutions. I urge the Commission to consider the precedent this would set and deny the application for Aerial Gymnastics Club.
Thank you.
Eva Vazzana

As a concerned community member, I respectfully oppose the approval of CUP 2025-0015 allowing Aerial Gymnastics Club to operate directly next door to the long-standing Fit Kids Gymnastics Center at 2701 Manhattan Beach Blvd.

Before moving forward, I ask: Do current zoning regulations not prevent two nearly identical, niche businesses from operating wall-to-wall? It seems counterintuitive to city planning and raises questions about permitting standards.

• Questionable Intent & Bad Faith: This proposal is not rooted in opportunity, but in personal history. John Snyder's daughters were previously coached at Fit Kids, and his actions reflect a pattern—this isn’t the first time Aerial Gymnastics Club has opened near a Fit Kids location, as seen in Torrance. This isn’t about meeting demand. It’s a strategic, vindictive move to usurp Fit Kids' clientele and potentially put them out of business. That’s not healthy competition—it’s bad faith. If Snyder succeeds, it doesn’t grow Redondo Beach’s economic landscape. It merely shifts customers from one door to the next.

• Fit Kids’ Record of Integrity: Fit Kids has been in business in the South Bay for just under 40 years, without a single SafeSport issue or violation of USA Gymnastics’ Code of Conduct. They have built trust across generations in the South Bay. This kind of targeted competition undermines a local business that’s played by the rules and served the community with integrity.

• No Public Need Justifies This: There is no overcrowding or underserved gymnastics demand in this area. This is not a grocery store or gas station where proximity increases convenience. Gymnastics training is niche and deeply trust-based. Opening another gym next door creates confusion, not choice.

• Redondo Deserves Smarter Growth: If Redondo Beach wants real expansion and increased revenue, it should encourage geographic diversity—not saturation. Requiring some separation between similar businesses would drive broader engagement, higher tax revenue, and a better distribution of services citywide.

Please deny this permit and encourage genuine growth—not calculated disruption.