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Blue Lake staff outlines broad overhaul of parks and events fees; council asks for worked examples
Summary
Parks & Recreation staff presented a draft fee schedule expanding cost recovery — including new drop‑in categories, material fees, VIP skate options, per‑site camping fees, and a proposed 20% community impact add‑on for major events — and asked council for direction and example calculations before return in March.
Parks & Recreation staff presented a wide‑ranging draft fee schedule on Feb. 24 that would expand cost recovery across drop‑in programs, camps, rentals, special events and Taylor Way parking, and would add new line items such as material fees and event‑impact surcharges.
Emily, the presenter, said the goals were to reflect true staffing and infrastructure costs and to create clearer line items for non‑city‑sponsored activities. She described proposed changes including a city‑sponsored drop‑in rate for non‑sports classes, material fees, a VIP add‑on for private skate parties, and new park rental packages. Importantly, staff proposed a community‑impact fee as a 20% add‑on for major events that significantly affect the city. "The goal of this iteration was to really look at having a more robust cost recovery in comparison to what other cities have," the presenter said.
Council focused on event parking capture (Taylor Way), vendor fees and how to treat large recurring events. Staff proposed a $75/day administrative fee for craft vendors and suggested $75 per food truck per day; multiple council members asked staff to model several local events (e.g., medieval festival) under the new schedule so the council can see concrete impacts and decide whether to apply a percentage of ticket sales, flat fees, or a per‑vehicle parking charge. Staff will return in March with worked examples and refined figures.
