Committee discusses raising park fees and potential Measure Z ballot path

Committee members raised whether the city could increase park rental fees or the Measure Z per-parcel amount to boost revenues.

“I would think that even the $28 per parcel per resident rate could be upped,” a committee member said, pressing staff about revenue strategies to better support park operations. Public works manager Daniel Torres and Finance Manager Adam Janssen explained the difference between fees and Measure Z assessments: the $28 Measure Z assessment has no automatic escalator and to increase it would require voter approval and council action. Janssen said the process typically starts with surveys and a fee study and can be costly to place on the ballot.

Staff emphasized that usage fees (for example, Marne O’Brien field hourly rates and higher nonresident fees) are set locally and could be considered for adjustment, while raising the Measure Z assessment would have to go to voters on a future election ballot. No timeline was established; staff said they would look into the timeline and prioritization for any fee or ballot work.