Santa Clara user group narrows options for field fees, residency discounts and allocation process

A Santa Clara Parks and Recreation staff-led user group on Feb. 6 reviewed a draft city policy that would set field-use priorities, establish a tiered fee schedule and tighten residency verification for youth sports organizations.

"Once again, my name is Kim Castro. I'm the Recreation Manager, with the City of Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department," Castro said, and she told the group the Wade Brummell policy is “set to go to the Park and Rec Commission, Tuesday,” with a council review expected in the April timeframe and implementation once the council adopts it.

The group’s discussion focused on three linked topics: the proposed fee schedule, residency thresholds and discounts for nonprofit youth organizations, and how the city will allocate limited field hours in peak times.

On fees, staff presented a multi-year structure for resident youth rates that would start at a lower level in the next fiscal year and move to a $10 hourly resident youth rate in a later year, with annual increases tied to the Consumer Price Index thereafter. Participants asked for a cap on CPI-based annual increases; the group generally…