Credit: https://www.facebook.com/CKOkickboxingSimiValley

Last week we brought you the story of California gym owner Nikki Lian, who was filming a Neuroboxing class over Zoom inside her gym, with one other person, when a tattle-tale eating at a sidewalk cafe next door reported her to City of Simi Valley Code Enforcement. City employees then told her that she had to film the classes outside and, while they were there, informed her that she had to pay a $295 permit fee every 16 days to use seven parking lot spaces near the gym for her regular outdoor classes (even though she pays for 30 spaces in her lease and the shopping center owner gave her permission to use them for classes).

Shortly after the article was published and brought to the attention of City Council members, things started changing. Nikki posted the following on her Facebook page:

*UPDATE*
🥊Last night I received some intel that we are allowed to have UP TO 8 PEOPLE while shooting our virtual classes. This will be going up on Ventura County’s FAQ section soon. Karen, please read. If anyone wants to go ahead and call Kevin at the city and let him know, be my guest.
🥊A lovely city council member contacted our city manager who said “Today was a blunder” and they would refund my money for my temporary permit.
🥊Several other cities have created (free) temporary use permits for gyms to have classes outdoors. There is no sense of urgency in Simi Valley because here, gyms don’t create as much tax revenue as restaurants. Pubs and breweries are now able to open as of yesterday. They already have permits. We have nothing.
🥊The kind lady at planning said “We are taking it slow. Check in next week.” Sorry. I got shit to do.
🥊I have an 8am, 9am and 10am class to teach to the #CKOArmy Today is a great day. I am absolutely blessed I get to teach another day.

Sunday morning Nikki reported that the “head of City Planning” came to her 10 A.M. class to apologize for “how things were handled on Friday” and said he would be tearing up her $295 check.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Nikki said she hasn’t heard back from the City about Special Use Permits and that the county hasn’t updated their website to reflect that up to 8 people can be in the studio while she’s filming, but that city officials haven’t given her any grief.

Kudos to the City of Simi Valley for doing the right thing and refunding Nikki’s money. Perhaps the City Manager can lean on his staff to step to it on the temporary use permits, though.