Washington CountyLand Use & Planning Committee on Nov. 27 approved a pilot program recommending a suggested per‑rider trail pass at Heritage Trails mountain bike park to help fund trail construction, maintenance and immediate park improvements.

Jamie (Natural Resources staff), who presented the pilot, said the program is meant to test whether a contribution‑style fee would generate money for three priorities: program start‑up costs (signage, mailed tags and payment processing), funding for the youth skills area and targeted improvements such as restroom or asphalt maintenance. She noted the fee will be taxable and that mailed passes create an opportunity to send a survey and collect contact information for follow‑up.

The county described the pilot as voluntary and initially enforced by peer pressure and volunteer education rather than citation. "We would be recommending the pilot program and the suggested per rider fee," Jamie told the committee, adding that the county is unsure what level of compliance to expect and will collect data during the coming season.

Supporters said the pilot would test revenue without immediately changing ordinances or imposing a new enforcement regime. Supervisor Mary moved to approve the pilot; Supervisor Pridemore seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.

County staff said pilot revenue would be held in a segregated cost center for Heritage Trails and used only for the park. The presentation included an example $20 pass to illustrate taxes and processing fees that reduce net revenue; staff said exact pricing and projected yields are part of the pilot evaluation. Data collection plans include QR‑code surveys, mailed survey links to pass purchasers and a dedicated tracking email for comments.

Officials also discussed alternatives if voluntary compliance is low, including a future option to enforce per‑vehicle fees via license‑plate enforcement, which would require ordinance changes. For now, staff will return data and analysis at the end of the pilot to help the committee evaluate next steps.

The committee set the pilot to run during the upcoming riding season and directed staff to collect usage, revenue and compliance data for review after the pilot ends.