COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS

DATE:

June 29, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 7, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

David G. Holland, Director, Department of Parks

SUBJECT:

Parks Fee Schedule Revisions

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule to allow park users to change or cancel Family Camping and Horse Camping reservations for a fee, modifying the group picnic site category capacities, and adding two types of annual passes for park users.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.

Goal 15: Residents have nearby access to green space, such as parks and recreational opportunities.

The proposed revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule contribute to the commitment and goal by giving park users more flexibility in making Family Camping and Horse Camping reservations to allow for change or cancelation of a reservation, which is not allowed presently; allowing for larger picnic groups to use less expensive sites by modifying the group picnic site category capacities; and creating a Family Annual Pass and Corporate Annual Pass in addition to the existing Individual Annual Pass.

BACKGROUND:

Last year the Board approved nominal fee increases and the standardization of park fees, camp sites, and group picnic sites to support an automated reservation system. Feedback from users indicates that overall the automated reservation system is working well for them. There have been requests to allow for the cancelation and changing of reservations made for Family Camping and Horse Camping, which is not allowed under the existing Parks Fee Schedule. Some group picnic site users have indicated that the structuring of the group picnic sites based on number of users and the fees applied based on capacity could be modified to allow somewhat larger groups to use less expensive picnic sites. Lastly, users have made the request for annual passes for family and corporate users in addition to the individual annual passes. The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the proposed revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule on May 7, 2009, and recommended unanimously that the Board of Supervisors approve the proposed revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule.

DISCUSSION:

Historically, there has been a “no cancelation policy” for Family Camping or Horse Camping, and a $15 fee charged to change or cancel group picnic site reservations. Staff is recommending allowing users the ability to cancel or change Family Camping and Horse Camping reservations for a fee similar to group picnic site reservations.

Family Camping costs $21.00 per night and Horse Camping costs from $50.00 to $250.00 per night depending upon the size of the site. Rather than applying our existing group picnic site change/cancelation fee of $15.00 to these two types of camping reservations, staff recommends a 25% change/cancelation fee for Family Camping, which would equal $5.25 per changed/canceled night of Family Camping and a 10% change/ cancelation fee for Horse Camping, which would equal $5.00 to $25.00 (depending upon the site) per changed/canceled night of Horse Camping.

The proposed revision to the group picnic site capacities would change the category of 51-75 person sites to 51-100 person sites. The current fee for the 51-75 person sites is $120. The current fee for the 76-150 person sites is $225. This change would allow for groups of 76 to 100 persons to use sites for $120 rather than the large capacity site fee of $225.

Over the years, Park users have requested annual park passes for family and corporate use. The proposed revision to the Parks Fee Schedule includes provision for a Family Annual Park Pass for a $100 fee and a Corporate Annual Park Pass for a $200 fee in addition to the existing Individual Annual Park Pass for a $60 fee.

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

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

If the proposed revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule are approved, staff anticipates approximately $2,000 in additional revenue for camping reservation change and cancelation fees; an estimated $5,000 in additional revenue for increased use of the smaller picnic sites; and $2,500 in additional revenue for Family and Corporate Annual Park Passes all of which will help offset the Department’s increasing operational budget. The proposed revisions to the Parks Fee Schedule have no Net County Cost.