Los Ranchos updates facility rental fees and gives mayor authority to set hourly rates for smaller uses

Trustees voted to amend the village facility fee schedule on July 21, simplifying line items for the AgriNature Center and Alfredo Garcia Barn and clarifying when a full‑facility daily rental applies versus shorter administrative uses.

Staff said the AgriNature Center’s classroom and demonstration kitchen were rarely rented under the prior day‑rate structure (an $800 daily classroom fee was widely seen as cost‑prohibitive), while the Barn is a high‑demand facility that will likely see more private events now that alcohol is permitted at private gatherings. The new resolution keeps full‑facility daily rental rates for major rentals (festivals or full‑day private events), raises Barn fees to reflect market demand and removes unclear or blank entries that caused administrative confusion.

Trustees debated whether to include explicit hourly rates in the resolution for sub‑day uses (classroom, outdoor kitchen, meeting rooms). To avoid micromanaging many small use cases, the board approved an amendment allowing the mayor to set administrative hourly rates for uses that are not full‑facility rentals; staff will publish administrative guidance so rates are applied consistently. Trustees asked that staff return with a more detailed chart and revisit rates after an initial test period.

What’s next: staff will implement the amended fee table, draft administrative rules for hourly/short uses, and return with refined rates within months to ensure consistent application and continued community access.