Planning commission recommends Planet Fitness CUP for Meridian at Brentwood

The Brentwood Planning and Zoning Commission on July 10 recommended that the Board of Aldermen approve a conditional use permit for Planet Fitness to occupy the former Bed Bath & Beyond space at the Meridian at Brentwood.

Corey Pritchard, representing Planet Fitness, said the proposed facility is a 32,807-square-foot club that would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He told the commission the company expects to ultimately enroll on the order of 12,000–15,000 members with roughly 1,500–2,000 daily check‑ins and that typical visits average about an hour. The applicant also said the building layout and an attached parking garage should accommodate the anticipated parking demand; staff noted the fitness use represents approximately a 60% increase in parking demand compared with typical retail but said the development has sufficient parking overall.

Commissioners asked about overnight security and staffing. Pritchard said the facility would be staffed whenever open, "a minimum of two staff, anytime we’re open," and that if incidents occur the operator would coordinate with the landlord and local police; the company could also revise its hours if activity patterns warranted. Staff said security arrangements on private property are typically a landlord/tenant responsibility and the city would not set private-security standards, though it could coordinate with police for increased patrols if needed.

Commissioner Carlin moved to recommend approval of the conditional use permit; the motion was seconded and approved by roll-call vote. The commission recorded the vote in favor and the recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Aldermen for final action.