COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS

 

DATE:

April 9, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 22, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

David G. Holland, Director, Department of Parks

SUBJECT:

Proposed Amended County Parks Fee Schedule

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution amending the County Parks Fee Schedule to standardize fees to accommodate the use of an online reservation system with some increase in fees for the Group Picnic and Picnic Shelter Sites; Group, Youth, Day Camp and Jack Brook Horse Camp sites; Special Events; maintenance fees; recreational play structure permits; reservation cancellation/change fees; non-commercial filming and photography fees; a new online reservation fee of $7.00 per reservation; and a new Park Planning Research Fee of $75.00 per hour imposed by written agreement, with the proposed amended County Parks Fee Schedule to become effective May 5, 2008.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

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.

 

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.

 
 

BACKGROUND:

Annually, Parks Department 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. This year staff also needed to look at how fees might be standardized to accommodate an automated reservation system funded by the Board of Supervisors for FY 2007/08, which the Parks Department intends to implement in May 2008. The system will allow reservations for family camping at Memorial Park, which is a first in the campground’s history.

 

DISCUSSION:

Based on market rate comparisons and increased costs, staff is recommending increased, standardized fees for the Group Picnic and Picnic Shelter Sites, Group, Youth and Day Camping Sites and Special Events. We are also recommending nominal fee increases for Horse Camp Sites, maintenance fees, permits for recreational play structures, fees for changing or canceling reservations and non-commercial filming and photography fees. Additionally we are proposing a new online reservation fee of $7.00 per reservation and a Planning Research fee of $75.00 per hour imposed by written agreement to recover costs for our parks planner’s work on non-County Parks projects associated with encroachments, leases, and other planning issues adjacent to County Parks property. In accordance with State law, the resulting fees do not exceed the cost of providing services.

 

The County Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the proposed amendments to Park fees at their meeting of April 3, 2008 and recommended approval of the Amended County Parks Fee Schedule to the Board of Supervisors. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, these amended fees would become effective on May 5, 2008 coinciding with the release date of the new automated reservation system.

County Parks user groups have been notified by letter of the proposed fee amendments and public notice will be published in the newspaper of record.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

If the Board of Supervisors approves the proposed amended County Parks Fee Schedule, the Department anticipates receiving approximately $10,000 in additional parks revenue, which will help offset the Department’s increasing operational budget. The proposed Amended County Parks Fee Schedule has no Net County Cost.