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Highland Council adopts new grass‑field rental policy, removes nonprofit discount and raises fees
Summary
Council approved updates to the city’s grass‑field use policy and a fee schedule increase (games +$5, practices +$5, all‑day rental set at $300). The ordinance repealing the prior code section on organized park play passed unanimously.
Highland City Council voted unanimously to adopt an updated Grass Field Use Policy and a revised fee schedule that raises hourly rates and removes a nonprofit discount.
The council approved a resolution to raise per‑game field rental rates by $5 (from $30 to $35) and practice rates by $5 (from $15 to $20), and to set a single all‑day rental fee of $300 to match baseball fields. Council members also removed the city’s prior nonprofit rate for field rentals and clarified which park fields qualify for paid rentals (fields with parking and permanent or permitted temporary restrooms).
Council discussion: Council members asked whether Highland Family Park soccer fields could be reserved for exclusive use; staff confirmed teams and leagues may reserve those fields and that standard hourly, practice and all‑day rates apply. Staff said the policy intentionally discourages portable toilets in smaller neighborhood parks because of vandalism and nuisance concerns and limited staffing to monitor remote events.
Operational details: Staff said the city will continue to require the renter to pay for striping and extra maintenance (garbage, extra field prep) but does not plan to station a staff person at rentals for the whole day. The policy includes an inclement‑weather provision: renters will not be charged for hours unused due to unsafe conditions. Council also asked staff to explore adding a striping fee for soccer fields and to consider whether the city should provide striping consistently rather than leave it to leagues.
Outcome: Motion by Council member Ron Campbell, seconded by Council member Doug Owens. The measure passed 4–0.
