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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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Environmental Services Agency
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DATE:
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June 12, 2006
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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June 20, 2006
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SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:
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Ten-day Notice
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Public Hearing
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10:30 a.m.
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VOTE REQUIRED:
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services Agency
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SUBJECT:
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Amend Selected Park and Marina Berthing Fee Schedules
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RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a Resolution amending selected Park and Marina Berthing Fee Schedules.
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VISION ALIGNMENT:
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Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.
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Goals) 20 and 24: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain. Residents accept individual responsibility for contributing to the quality of life of the County as a whole.
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The proposed fee changes contribute to the commitment and goals by maintaining a proper relationship between costs and revenues and by assuring that those who utilize County services pay the cost of providing those services, rather than receiving a subsidy from taxpayers and thereby diverting resources from other needed programs without a source of cost recovery.
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BACKGROUND:
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Periodically, Park Division staff reviews the fees charged for use of the parks, park features and park services and looks at facility usage, operational costs, changes in the cost of living index and market rate comparisons.
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Annually, Park Division staff looks at Marina berth rental fees as the County’s loan agreement with the California Department of Boating and Waterways requires that the Coyote Point Marina berth rental fees be adjusted annually by a rate not less than the local Consumer Price Index (CPI). In general, fees are increased to first meet the legal minimum, and then to provide adequate funding for the Marina’s capital projects. Marina staff conducts a survey of competing facilities to ensure the County’s fees continue to be in line with the market. These fees are accumulated in the Marina enterprise fund, separate from the County General Fund.
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DISCUSSION:
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Based on market rate comparisons and increased costs, an increase of $5.00 for the minimum fee for Group Picnic Sites, Shelter Buildings and Group Camping is recommended. Related fees, such as the additional person charge and discount and minimum fees for school, senior and disabled groups would remain the same. The addition of a new camping fee for walk-in camping sites at Shaw Flat and Tarwater Flat is recommended because of significant increase in usage over the past several years. Other recommended fee increases include those charged for firewood; bus entry fee; baseball field use by adult league; maintenance fee; non-education, commercial filming fee; educational, documentary, non-profit fee; non-educational, commercial still photo fee and educational, documentary, non-profit basic commercial still photo fee.
In accordance with state law, the resulting fees would not exceed the cost of providing services. If the fees were approved, they would become effective July 1, 2006.
Marina berth rental fees are recommended to increase by 3.6% and if approved, would become effective August 1, 2006. This is within the parameters required by the loan agreements and is sufficient to support the annual cost of maintenance and operation as well as maintain adequate reserves for long-term capital improvement projects and the depreciation of the entire Marina facility. These rates are competitive with the local market and are not expected to decrease berth occupancy.
The Park and Recreation Commission at their April 6 and May 4, 2006 regular meetings reviewed the proposed fee changes and unanimously voted to recommend that the Board adopt a resolution authorizing the amendment of the selected Park and Marina fee schedules. The fee schedules that summarize the changes for the Park and Marina fees are part of the resolution.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
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If the Park’s fee changes are adopted, the Division anticipates receiving $29,976 in additional parks revenue. If the Marina berth rental fees are adopted, the estimated increase in revenue would be approximately $37,500. However, total berth rental revenue is expected to remain flat due to slightly lower than projected berth occupancy in the Marina.
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