San Diego tightens rules on yoga, fitness classes at city parks [Video]

Recent updates to the city code have allowed San Diego officials to crack down on classes that were never legal, a spokesperson said.

SAN DIEGO — Amy Baack has taught consistent outdoor yoga classes in San Diego for three years.

Each donation-optional class drew dozens of people, many of them students or professionals who couldn’t afford yoga classes in studios. They served as a space for experiences many people view as core to San Diego: fitness, wellness, ocean views and community connection.

But when Baack arrived to lead her Wednesday night class last week, she said she was greeted with three trucks, multiple Park Rangers, and the “devastating” information that she, and all other yoga instructors who teach there, could no longer offer classes at Sunset Cliffs.

“It was a very tragic day,” Baack said.

The city’s restrictions, and permitting process, are rooted in safety and equal access to public parks, Olsen said.

But yoga instructors and community …