St. Paul reconsiders its ban on unsupervised health clubs

Ben Cowan is watching the actions of the St. Paul City Council closely these days. He hopes the council will change an ordinance that would allow him to open the three Snap Fitness franchises for which he paid thousands of dollars in 2006.

Snap Fitness and rival Anytime Fitness are part of a fast-growing breed of no-frills, 24-hour gyms that offer weights and cardio equipment but no saunas or racquetball.

They operate much of the time without employees on the premises, which owners say is critical to keeping costs down and making a profit. Members let themselves in with electronic devices.

St. Paul has long outlawed unsupervised exercise clubs, even though it is surrounded by cities -- Roseville, Mendota Heights, Maplewood and Minneapolis -- that allow self-run fitness centers.

That might change as proposed ordinance amendments, favored by most members, make their way through the City Council. A public hearing is expected soon.

An administrative law judge sided with the city of St. Paul last spring in fining two owners of Anytime franchises.

Since then, the city's Department of Safety and Inspections has been working with gym owners, Mayor Chris Coleman's office and City Council members to reach a compromise.

"We had a lot of whorehouses hiding as saunas and massage parlors," Thune said. "We don't want to go through that again."

The proposed ordinance has several new conditions. Gyms must be on the ground level of commercial buildings, have surveillance systems and provide at least one automatic electronic defibrillator (AED). Thune's main concern is addressed by a clause that says a gym's license to operate could be revoked if there is a bust for prostitution activity on the premises.

"Once we have the license, we have clout," said Bob Kessler, director of the city's safety and inspections department. He said changing the ordinance is a good response to changing business needs.

Not many cities regulate sports and health clubs. St. Paul did so decades ago to fight storefront prostitution posing as massage parlors or health clubs, but city officials say that public health is the main concern. The code was amended in 1992 to include CPR certification.

If someone has a heart attack on a treadmill, urgency for treatment is critical, and the city asks how help would be summoned. Gym owners have said they take safety precautions -- from cameras to panic buttons -- and the proposed ordinance changes lay out specific safety and security requirements.

Mark Daly, national media director for Anytime's corporate operation, said his company is pleased with the proposed changes.

"I think everybody's goal is to come up with a solution which would allow people in St. Paul to work out safely, 24 hours a day, in reputable and affordable health clubs, the same way they do all over the rest of country," he said.

Said Cowan: "I'm keeping my fingers crossed."