Review and Approve Revised Recreation and Park Fees for Calendar Year 2026. (Recreation and Parks 10051400)
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Parks Commission
From: Justin Long, Director of Recreation and Parks
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) annually recommends updates for ARPD fees for implementation on January 1 of the following year. The proposed fee adjustment is generally a three to five percent (3-5%) increase for most programs, with some exceptions described below.
BACKGROUND
On January 22, 1992, City Council adopted Resolution Number 12191, codifying all fees for services into a Citywide fee schedule (Fee Schedule). This Fee Schedule is updated each year, via resolution, to reflect changes in the cost of providing services as well as in the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco Bay Area.
The proposed Recreation and Park User Fees (Exhibit 1) are reviewed annually by the City's Recreation and Parks Commission with its recommendation brought forward to City Council for final approval. ARPD staff reviewed the current fees and recommended adjustments based on its expenses in combination with fee comparisons with other local jurisdictions including San Leandro, Emeryville, Piedmont, Fremont, Union City, and San Ramon, and comparisons for large rental venues in Alameda.
The Fee Schedule generally is updated annually as part of the City budget process, which begins July 1. Due to the timing of summer recreation programs, the ARPD User Fee Schedule is adopted earlier, with an implementation date of January 1. However, the school-year fees are noted separately with a start date of August to coincide with the start of the school year.
DISCUSSION
Program fees are structured to recover both direct costs, including staff time, facility maintenance, and utilities, as well as indirect costs such as administrative support and supplies. The fee structure is designed to balance cost recove...
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