West Coast Dance and Fitness wants to expand from 5,460 square feet to roughly 9,100 square feet at 890 Cowan Road, and the Burlingame Planning Commission will vote on the proposal Monday, Aug. 24.
The studio, which operates as West Coast Dance Conservatory, is asking for a Conditional Use Permit to take over an adjacent 3,640-square-foot tenant space in the multi-tenant commercial building, according to the Planning Commission agenda. City planning staff recommends approval.
The property sits in Burlingame's Innovation Industrial zoning district, where commercial recreation uses require a CUP. The 36,282-square-foot building has 104 parking spaces on a 91,804-square-foot lot owned by Airport Service Center.
Associate Planner Brittany Xiao is handling the case. RSS Architecture, Inc. designed the expansion. Staff determined the project is categorically exempt from environmental review under CEQA.
West Coast Dance Conservatory moved to 890 Cowan Road, Suite B, in late September 2024 after relocating from two Broadway locations at 205 and 237 Broadway, according to the studio's Instagram. It offers ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and other classes for all ages.
The expansion would represent a roughly 67 percent increase in the studio's footprint. That's a significant jump.
Commercial recreation permits are not unusual for the commission. In October 2025, it unanimously approved indoor ski instruction at 50 Broderick Road in the RRMU zone, according to commission minutes.
The five commissioners set to hear the item are Chair Walker Shores, Vice Chair John Schmid, Chris Horan, Sean Lowenthal and Jennifer Pfaff.
The hearing begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 501 Primrose Road. Residents who cannot attend in person can watch via Zoom (Meeting ID: 849 8349 4329, Passcode: 517430), but public comments via Zoom are not permitted. Written comments must be emailed to [email protected] by 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24.
Any commission action can be appealed in writing to the City Clerk, with applicable fees, within 10 days. If no appeal is filed by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, the decision becomes final.
