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Parks board debates charging fees for for‑profit camps and events, eyes policy redline
Summary
Board members said the city should recoup maintenance costs from revenue‑generating events and proposed distinguishing nonprofit and for‑profit uses in the city event policy; members suggested a working session to draft a fee schedule and redline sports/clinic rules.
The Harbor Springs Parks & Recreation Board opened a broad debate over the city’s event policy, with members arguing the municipality is effectively subsidizing several revenue‑generating events and should consider a clearer fee structure for for‑profit uses.
A board member noted that a recent approval for a Little League clinic included a 15% revenue share in one example and suggested that similar or higher percentages, or flat fees for for‑profit tournaments, could be used to cover maintenance and capital costs such as bleachers and restroom upkeep. “We should not be losing money when we give people space to have their own event,” one member said during the discussion.
Members proposed drafting a redline of the current policy to add explicit sections on sports camps, clinics and commercial events, and to distinguish nonprofit community events from commercial uses. Suggested next steps included a working session focused on the policy, comparing neighboring municipalities’ fee structures and producing a digestible chart for future meetings.
The board agreed to take on policy work in upcoming meetings rather than deferring the issue immediately to council: several members said the board’s advisory role is the appropriate forum for developing fee recommendations before any council action.
No vote was taken; board members set a plan to spend time on the policy, collect comparative data and return with a proposed redline and fee‑recommendation for future discussion.
