by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | October 21, 2025
VALLEJO – The city gained another overnight business as the Planning Commission unanimously approved a major-use permit on Monday night allowing the newly opened East Vallejo Planet Fitness to operate 24-7.
The gym, located at 42 Springstowne Center, currently operates from 6 a.m. to midnight every night.
In early May 2025, the city signed off on the Springstowne location, which moved into 18,093 square-foot building formally occupied by a 99¢ Only Store. Later that month, the business applied to extend its hours but ran into some pushback by the Vallejo Police Department which express security concerns, city staff said Monday.
The adopted conditions for approval require the installation of security cameras which provide “continuous video coverage of all building entrances, exits, and parking areas,” according to a staff PowerPoint presentation. The business will also need to maintain adequate exterior lighting at all points of building entry and exit, and within adjacent parking areas.”
Most of Monday’s discussion centered on the same security concerns including interest from commissioners on how soon Planet Fitness should replace broken and burnt-out exterior lighting bulbs.
Commissioner Wanda Madeiros originally pushed for any broken and/or burnt-out parking lot lightbulbs be changed promptly but staff informed the commission that might not feasible since Planet Fitness is leasing the building. The property owner would be required to change the bulbs in the parking lot.
“We all know that parking lot,” Madeiros said from the dais, prompting fellow Commissioner to Tara Beasley-Stansberry to immediately say “yes, we do.”
“It’s a challenge because we have had a lot of crime in that area of town so that’s my concern,” Madeiros added.
Beasley-Stansberry, who made the motion to approve the application, with consultation from Madeiros, added the condition that the business fix any lightbulbs associated with the building within 48 to 72 hours.
According to the applicant, the gym employes six full-time and eight part-time employees. At least two employees will be working during the late-night hours of operation.
The only public comment came from José Carrizales who asked the commission to support the project. Carrizales said he is a longtime member of Planet Fitness, utilizing the gym in Fairfield and the other Vallejo location at 3505 Sonoma Boulevard.
Carrizales rejected the commission’s concerns, which also included questions about pedestrian safety and confirmation about the number of staff on-site during the late-night hours.
“Planet Fitness personnel have done their part, the expert staff who you hire to make these kinds of decisions, to help you make your decisions…have done their job,” Carrizales told the commission.
Meeting notes:
The commission welcomed Chris White, who was sworn in as the newest member of the Planning Commission. Vice Chair Anthony Taylor was absent.
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