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Medical Lake staff propose streamlined parks fee schedule and online reservations, including QR lookup for picnic sites
Summary
Parks staff recommended simplifying and clarifying the parks and facilities fee schedule to work with a new recreation software system; changes include a two-hour minimum for shelters, eliminating multiple special-event tiers under 100 people, and QR codes on tables to show reservations.
Parks staff presented a proposed update to the parks and facility rental fee schedule intended to simplify pricing and integrate with new recreation-reservation software.
Staff described problems with the existing fee document’s confusing wording and said the current format prevented the new software from calculating charges correctly. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed the rewrite and recommended approval. Staff said the plan will also add user conveniences such as a QR code at picnic locations that members of the public can scan to verify whether a site is reserved.
Key changes: staff proposed a two-hour minimum rental for shelters, removal of separate 0–50 and 51–100 special-event fee tiers (because city code already treats events over 100 as requiring a special-event permit), and clarified that most picnic tables will remain first-come, first-served but will display reservation status via QR code.
Operations and enforcement: staff said the reservation system will block back-to-back reservations by enforcing a 30-minute buffer to allow park staff time to clean between events. Reservations outside normal park hours will remain restricted to permitted special events.
Next steps: staff will clean up persistent numbering and formatting issues in the master document and return a formal resolution for council approval; the packet notes the new online system will create invoices and require staff approval before payment is taken for event reservations.
Ending: The proposed changes aim to simplify public access and increase reservations; staff will bring a clean, resolution-ready fee schedule to council after final edits and testing with the new software.
