Committee reviews Heritage Trails usage and considers targeted fee options to support mountain‑bike trails

Washington County staff told the Land Use and Planning Committee on July 17 that revenue and vehicle counts at Heritage Trails Park are tracking below 2024 levels and that the department is exploring targeted fees and partnerships to support ongoing mountain‑bike trail building and maintenance.

Jamie Ludovic, chief community development officer, presented a budget and usage report prepared by Budget Policy and Analytics showing year‑to‑date vehicle exits and revenue declines across county parks and an increase in usage for mountain‑bike trails over prior years. Ludovic said the parks enterprise is projecting lower revenue in 2025 versus 2024 and that county leadership does not intend a general increase in daily or annual park entrance fees this biennium; the exception would be market‑driven wedding venue fees and possibly a targeted mountain‑bike fee or pass.

Committee members and staff discussed several options: raising the daily pass at Heritage Trails for nonresidents (or instituting a Wisconsin vs. out‑of‑state split), creating a specific mountain‑bike daily or annual pass, and using camera plate data to track resident versus nonresident use. Staff said Wisconsin plates represented a large share of daily entries overall but that some weekends show increased out‑of‑state visitors. Staff cautioned that raising a general daily fee at Heritage Trails could affect other users (disc golfers, hikers) and said the county is reluctant to price out local recreational users.

Committee members suggested earmarking any new Heritage Trails revenue for that park’s trail building and maintenance, though other supervisors warned against setting a broad precedent for earmarking revenue from one park to itself. Several supervisors urged that any fee changes be developed in partnership with Metro Mountain Bikers — a volunteer organization that builds and maintains trails on the county property — to avoid discouraging trail volunteers and users. Ludovic said county staff are working with Metro and that Metro had questions about fee structures.

Staff outlined non‑revenue levers as well: permitting food trucks and temporary concessions at special events, pursuing grants, and student planning projects (University of Wisconsin planning students will study Heritage Trails layout and the location of electricity, restrooms and concession opportunities). Staff said they will bring back further analysis, including out‑of‑state plate counts across parks, possible fee models, and the implications of earmarking revenue for Heritage Trails.

No fee changes were adopted at the meeting. The committee directed staff to continue working with Metro Mountain Bikers, collect additional data and return with detailed recommendations.