City raises fees for using sports fields
–The Paso Robles City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to increase fees for using sports fields.
- Paso Robles Youth Sports Council members team fees will increase from an average of $1.67 per hour to a $2 per hour flat rate on Jan. 1.
- Youth club teams fees will remain at $3 per hour.
- Adult sports teams fees will increase from $6 per hour to $12 per hour on Jan. 1 and then to $16 per hour in 2018.
The actual cost to the city for watering and maintaining the fields is $19.70 per hour of use, according to a city staff report. After the increase, Paso Robles’ sports field fees are still reasonable when compared to Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, and the County of San Luis Obispo, where fees range from $12 per hour for youth to $24 per hour for adults.
The increases will effect the costs of adult and youth team sports like baseball, softball, soccer, and football. The fees are charged for using sports fields at city-owned facilities such as Barney Schwartz Park, Robbins Field and Sherwood Park. The increases were unanimously supported by the Paso Robles Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.
The city expects the fee hikes to increase city revenue by more than $40,000 over three years. The council did not change the cost of tournament fees, which are a percentage of gross revenues based on number of teams playing.