OSMP reviews fee study, tells trustees parking fees recovered costs; board raises equity and access concerns

OSMP staff on March 12 presented results from a comprehensive fee study that examined cost recovery across fee‑based programs, including trailhead parking, permits and special use charges, and discussed next steps in a citywide review of fees and equity.

Sam McQueen, OSMP business services senior manager, told trustees the department has begun implementing immediate recommendations from the consultant: integrating fee recommendations into the department27s six‑year planning framework, deploying a cost‑recovery analysis tool for fee programs, and using the citywide long‑term financial strategy to coordinate fee policy across departments. "Some of those we'll try to flag for you as we bring them up, just so it's very clear this is a recommendation from the fee study that we're implementing now," McQueen said.

Parking, cash handling and equity Trustees pressed staff on parking fees and equity. McQueen and Lauren Kilcoyne (OSMP planning/visitor services) said OSMP uses ParkMobile for daily trailhead permits at many sites and that the department is deploying mobile hotspots to expand app‑based payment where wireless coverage had been limited. Staff confirmed the department accepts multiple payment methods and that the Boulder Revised Code currently requires accepting cash, though they are evaluating options to reduce the administrative cost of cash handling.

Trustees and members of the board raised equity concerns: charging for trailhead parking can deter local residents and visitors who do not have in‑app payment options, and the visitor master plan that originally established the fee structure targeted out‑of‑county vehicle users to offset maintenance costs. Trustee Sarah asked whether eliminating parking fees has been considered; staff said the city's long‑term financial strategy will review citywide fee policy and any major change would likely require public process and alignment with the visitor master plan.

Costs and legal context Staff said the study showed OSMP is, in most programs, recovering operating costs and that there is no single national threshold that distinguishes a fee from a tax; "a lot of this is governed by TABOR," a staff member said, explaining legal context for fees vs. taxes in Colorado. Staff added that if a program generated revenue substantially beyond cost recovery it might be considered a tax and require voter approval.

Next steps and outreach OSMP said it will incorporate fee study findings into annual budget discussions, identify short‑term low‑cost implementation items, and coordinate with the citywide fee review to address equity and accessibility considerations. Kilcoyne said changes to visitor master plan‑based fees would likely require public engagement and interaction with citywide equity work.

Ending Trustees asked staff to keep the board informed as the citywide financial strategy proceeds; no ordinance or change to fees was enacted at the March 12 meeting.