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San Clemente parks-and-rec staff present broad fee overhaul; swim clubs and residents urge slower rollout
Summary
City staff presented a comprehensive cost-recovery policy and a Matrix Consulting fee study that would raise many beaches, parks and recreation fees. Commissioners and community members pressed for more outreach, phased increases and stakeholder review; the commission created an expedited subcommittee to review aquatics fees.
SAN CLEMENTE — City recreation staff on Wednesday recommended a new cost-recovery policy and a fee schedule overhaul for Beaches, Parks and Recreation, saying some fees have not been updated in more than a decade. The commission heard hours of public comment, including pleas from swim and water-polo team leaders, and approved an expedited subcommittee to review aquatic fees and stakeholder input before forwarding recommendations to City Council.
City recreation staff presented findings of a yearlong study by Matrix Consulting Group and a proposed new policy for classifying services by community benefit and setting target cost-recovery rates. "Cost recovery promotes financial sustainability and equity," Recreation Director Samantha Whiteley said during the presentation, summarizing the study’s rationale and methods.
The study analyzed roughly 170 fees and calculated the “fully burdened” cost for services, including labor, utilities and maintenance. Staff proposed a five-tier cost-recovery framework ranging from mostly community-benefit items (low recovery) to largely private-benefit items (high recovery). Some example proposals that drew the most attention: single visit lap swim for residents from $2 to $6; annual resident adult aquatics passes from $200 to $469; and recommended increases for pool-lane and full-facility rentals. Staff said many fees were last updated in 1993, 2006 or 2009 and cannot cover current operating costs.
Why it matters: the commission subsidizes a portion of parks and rec operations now; staff and the Matrix report said clearer fee policy and periodic updates are needed to avoid growing maintenance and operating shortfalls. Staff reported current cost recovery for aquatics is roughly 38 percent; proposed changes aim to raise that figure but acknowledge the city will continue to subsidize some services.
Commissioners and public speakers suggested changes to the approach and asked for more time and outreach. Commissioner comments focused on implementation timing and transparency; several commissioners urged phased increases rather than immediate, large jumps. Commissioner Grace and others recommended more signage and clearer communication about where fees are spent.
Community groups and sports partners said sudden hikes would risk participation and program stability. "More than doubling our fee would seriously threaten the stability of our entire program," said Anissa Barling, administrator for San Clemente Water Polo, who described the club as a small, successful feeder program to San Clemente High School. Several other club representatives and parents said higher pass prices could push families out or drive nonresident users to other pools.
Multiple residents suggested scholarship or donation options and better public messaging ("your fees at work") to show how increased revenue supports maintenance and safety. Staff noted the Friends of San Clemente Foundation already supports scholarships and said the city could reinstate a voluntary roundup or donation option in online registration.
Staff emphasized the study’s data-driven approach: Matrix reviewed budgets, comparable agencies and line-item costs and recommended a policy that includes periodic CPI-based adjustments and annual reporting. Staff also said the largest revenue generators are program classes and lessons, not field or pool rentals, a dynamic some speakers said needs to be clearer to the public.
Formal action: the commission voted to form an expedited subcommittee to dig deeper into the aquatic portions of the proposal, gather stakeholder feedback and, if needed, convene a special meeting before the next regular commission session. Commissioners appointed to that expedited aquatics subcommittee were Commissioner Haskins, Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Van Dyke. The subcommittee will work with staff on outreach and a possible phased rollout for aquatics fees.
What’s next: staff will work with the subcommittee on targeted outreach to annual-pass holders, swim teams and water-polo programs and will bring the commission a revised recommendation (including suggested timelines for phased increases and additional outreach) before sending a final fee package to City Council.
