Council holds first reading on Recreate room rates and reservation policies; public hearing closes with no speakers

The Cedar Park City Council held a first reading and public hearing on an ordinance to amend Appendix A of the Cedar Park Code of Ordinances to set reservation rates and operational rules for Recreate, the city’s repurposed library building.

Josh (city parks/rec staff) presented staff’s recommendation, saying the proposed rates are hourly and split into resident and nonresident columns and that refunds would apply to damage deposits if no damage occurs. "Our priority will be city run events and programs, which we plan as a department out at least 6 months in advance," Josh told the council. He described a booking priority that reserves blocks for city programs first, allows residents to book up to 120 days in advance and allows nonresidents to book up to 90 days in advance.

Staff also proposed monthly reservation limits per organization or group to expand broader access. On how active reservations will operate, Josh described a rolling system used for outdoor athletic facilities: "Once that first Tuesday's over with, you can book the next Tuesday going to that month," giving users the ability to replace used slots as the month progresses.

Council members asked about special uses, staff review and whether staff would return to council if policies needed adjustment. Staff said standard special-use and permit processes would apply for after-hours or multi-day events and that staff expects to monitor usage and bring rate or policy changes back to council if required. Josh said the city is planning programs for summer 2026 and anticipates the Recreate facility to be in use by then but gave no specific opening date beyond the spring/summer 2026 window.

The public hearing was opened and closed with no members of the public speaking. This item was a first reading; no final vote was taken.