Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager
 
 

Date

December 17, 2007

 

Agenda Item No.       38

Roll Call No.              07-

Communication No.  07-753

Submitted by: Donald M. Tripp,

                        Parks and Recreation Director

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Amending Chapter 74 of the City code regarding various Park and Recreation fees – First Reading

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend approval of the Park and Recreation Board recommendation to the Des Moines City Council to amend Chapter 74 of the City Code to change various Park and Recreation fees.

                                                                           

            Item                                                                Recommendation                               Current                      

Golf:    Section 74-181                                                           

18-hole weekday                      Grandview                                $13.00                         $12.00

                                                Blank                                       $17.00                         $16.00

                                                Waveland                                 $20.00                         $19.00

 

18-hole weekend special          Grandview                                $13.00                         $12.00

                                                Blank                                       $17.00                         $16.00

                                                Waveland                                 $20.00                         $19.00            

 

Golf Cart Fees:                         Cart Badge                               $500.00                       $450.00

                                                Trail fee                                    $100.00/$8.00             $80.00/$7.00

                                                9-hole cart                                $21.00                         $19.00

                                                18-hole cart                              $28.00                         $26.00

                                                9-hole special                           $18.00                         $16.00

                                                18-hole special                         $22.00                         $20.00

 

Twilight Rate                            Evening unlimited play               $13.00 (no cart)          $26.00 (with cart)

3rd nine/4th nine                         Extra play after 18                    $13.00                         $10.00/$12.00

 

Golf Season Badges                 Unrestricted Grandview            $1,125.00                    $1,075.00

                                                Restricted                                 $750.00                       $700.00

                                                H/W Badge                              $1,075.00                    $1,050.00

                                                Senior Badge                            $430.00                       $475.00

                                                Jr. Badge                                  $160.00                       $150.00

 

College/Military Green fee        Grandview                                $9.75                           $9.00

18-hole weekday:                     Blank                                       $12.75                         $12.00

                                                Waveland                                 $15.00                         $14.25

 

Lodge, park shelter and other park rentals:            Section 74-182

 

                                                                                                Recommendation       Current          

(5) Cabins. Overnight at Ewing Scout Camp                             $40.00                         $30.00

(7) Electrical permit                                                                  $25.00                         $15.00

 

Aquatic Centers, swimming pools and marina:        Section 74-183

 

(3) b. Delete corporate rental fee of $300.00 per hour.  This fee has never been used and this service is provided by the private rental rate of $110.00 per hour plus $1.00 per person after 50 persons.

(3) c. Delete seasonal agency rental as this fee was replaced with Youth agency fee schedule (2) b.

Section (3) c. provided for a $2.00 per person per week charge with a $10.00 non-resident fee.  This was replaced with section (2) b. Youth Agency fee of $15.00 per person for 1 day per week, $25.00 per 2 days a week or $30.00 three days per week admissions.

 

(4) Birdland Marina moorage fees.                                            Recommendation       Current          

            a.         Seasonal: 1. Double access long length              $496.00                       $484.00

                                        2. Double access regular length         $492.00                       $451.00

                                        3. Single access regular length           $466.00                       $424.00          

 

Brenton Skating Plaza: Section 74-184

 

(a) (1) a. Adult 13 years and older: $3.00.    Change from 21 years and older: $3.00

 

Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater: Section 74-185

 

(a) Concert Admission Season pass “value of total series less one concert” e.g. If there were nine concerts at $8.00 per show ($72.00 total), the season pass would cost the total value of eight concerts or $64.00.

 

Vendor Fees: Section 74-186

 

 (2) Season fee                                                                         Recommendation       Current          

            (1st weekend in April – 2nd weekend in October)           $350.00                       $850.00

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount: $70,000 (golf)

The other recommended changes will have a zero impact.

 

Funding Source:

            User Fees, FY 2007-08 Operating Budget, EN201 PKS010704, Grandview Golf Course, page          256; EN201 PKS010707, Waveland Golf Course, page 257’ GE001 PKS070400, Horticultural     Maintenance, page 233; GE001 PKS100101, Pools, page 235; GE001 PKS107600, Marina    Operations, page 250; GE001 PKS101800, Brenton Ice Skating Plaza, page 241;

            GE001 PKS101300, Special Events, page 239

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

 

At the December 12, 2007, Park and Recreation Board meeting the Board approved the above recommended fees and charges for various Park and Recreation programs and facilities.  These changes include fee adjustments within the Park and Recreation Department’s golf operations, shelter rentals, aquatic facilities, Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater and vendor fees.  The other fee adjustments reflect changes in the market and discrepancies within the City Code and actual fees being charged.

 

In 2006, the City of Des Moines dramatically reduced the daily green fees in an effort to increase rounds and therefore increase revenue through additional volume.  The results of this pricing strategy has had a positive impact on the Golf Enterprise Fund with a 15% increase in rounds played compared to the 2005 season through October 31st of each year.  Additionally, revenues have increased by 7% during this same evaluation period.  The golf fee recommendations were recommended for approval by the Park and Recreation Board’s Citizen Golf Advisory Committee at their November 7, 2007, Golf Committee meeting. 

 

In reviewing the City code related to Senior badge fees, staff found that the established rate set by the existing ordinance is $475, however the actual fees charged to Seniors last year was $430.  This benefit occurred due to unencumbered grant funds from prior years where Prairie Meadows grant awards were used to supplement the Senior badge fees.  Last year the City of Des Moines submitted a grant application to continue this support and the request was denied through the grant approval process.  Due to this loss of funding, staff is recommending that the Senior badge fee be reduced from $475 to $430 so the actual out of pocket costs remains the same for our Senior players as in 2007.     

 

Within the Lodge, park shelter and other park rentals section 74-182, the shelter rentals were previously adjusted, however, the Scout cabin rental fee was omitted from the recommendation as it is listed as a separate item within the code.  Department staff has been charging the adjusted fee of $40.00 per rental not being aware of this over sight as the accommodations are similar to that of the other park shelters.

 

Within the Aquatic Centers, swimming pools and marina section 74-183, a new fee schedule was created allowing for youth agencies to purchase season passes at a reduced rate based on the number of day’s a week they wanted to attend one of the City’s aquatic facilities.  This action replaced the seasonal agency rental fee, which was not deleted from the ordinance at the time of this change and staff is recommending this action to clear up this section of the code.  Additionally, within this section of the City code, the Marina moorage fees were recommended by the Park and Recreation Board to be increased last year, but were not previously forwarded to the City Council for amending this section of the code.

 

The recommended age change for adults from 21 years and older to 13 years and older at the Brenton Skating Plaza is a requested adjustment to the code as the actual adult age establishment was not provided in the original recommendation and was included to match a specific change to the City’s golf fee operations. 

 

The Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater section 74-185 lists a specific dollar amount for a season pass to the Nitefall on the River concert series.  Since the number of concerts varies based on the end of the school year and start of the Iowa State Fair, staff is recommending that wording be included to allow for the season pass to equal the total value of the series less one free concert.  This will eliminate changing the ordinance on an annual basis based on the number of concerts offered each year.  Related to the Nitefall on the River concert series is the Vendor Fees section 74-186 where staff is recommending a reduction in the season vendor fee from $850 to $350.  This is based on a change of service offerings, whereby when the fee was initially established vendors were allowed to sell their concessions at other Park and Recreation Department offerings such as the Free Movies at Simon Estes and Gray’s Lake.  Due to poor sales at these other venues and rainouts where vendors did not have an opportunity to move to our indoor location, vendors requested a fee schedule for just the Nitefall on the River concert series.  Market research related to similar outdoor vending opportunities at Nollen Plaza and Valley Junction in West Des Moines shows the recommended season fee of $350 to be the norm.  Additionally, with this new fee structure the concert series will attract more vendors.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S): 

 

Date:  February 20, 2006

 

Roll Call Number:  06-373

 

Action:   Amending Chapter 74 of the Municipal Code regarding fees for golf courses.  Moved by Hensley that this ordinance do now pass, #14,543.  Motion Carried 7-0.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):

 

Date:  December 12, 2007

 

Action:   Approved recommendation to adjust various Park and Recreation fees to the Des Monies City Council.

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: 

 

Second and possible third readings of the ordinance at a future City Council meeting.