Lacy Park is now charging an admission fee of $4 for nonresidents over the age of 4 who wish to use the park on Saturdays and Sundays, following a San Marino City Council decision to reestablish the weekend admission fee.
The nonresident entry fee, which has fluctuated through the years, was initially enacted at Lacy Park in April 1988 as a way to defray maintenance and operation costs after city revenues took a hit resulting from the 1978 Proposition 13, which put a limit on property taxes. Prior to the establishment of the nonresident fee, the park was closed on weekends. Most recently, the city had put a hold on collecting fees at the park in January.
Most of the funds necessary to operate Lacy Park are derived from property taxes, so the imposition of the weekend nonresident fee ensures all parkgoers are contributing to maintaining the 30-acre community landmark, located at 1485 Virginia Road.
At a recent meeting, City Council members discussed a cost analysis performed by consultant Eric Johnson, president of Revenue & Cost Specialists, and voted unanimously to approve the new $4 fee.
“The intent was to have nonresidents pay their fair share of maintenance costs, and the amount of the fee was established with the intent to not exceed that cost,” City Attorney Joseph Montes said. “Over the years, that cost has increased from its original $3 to $4 and then ultimately $5.”
Montes said the park’s previous $5 nonresident fee was challenged in a court case, when a jury determined that there was not enough analysis on the record when the City Council had adopted the fee. The city then decided to conduct a study to provide justification for a cost-sharing fee that would meet the law. The fee was temporarily halted, from January 17 to April 13, pending completion of that study.
The study calculated a fair share fee of $4.67, with one factor being the increase in park visitors — there were 54,811 total nonresident weekend users in the fiscal year 2022-23.
“Looking at the most recent park attendance numbers, Mr. Johnson’s study shows that the data supports a fair share fee of $4.67,” Montes said. “This is due to the increased park attendance during COVID. With more attendees, [the] cost for attendees has gone down to just under $5. Thus, as to not exceed a fair share, and to streamline collections by staff, the resolution recommends the fee be changed to $4.”
The study was based on key aspects, including park maintenance and operations costs, city/departmental overhead and average capital costs.
The city collected $113,485 in nonresident weekend admission fees at Lacy Park during the fiscal year 2021-22 and $135,800 in the fiscal year 2022-23. If the park’s attendance remains about the same as it was in 2022-23, the city projects it would collect about $100,000 to $110,000 annually from nonresident entry fees.
The current $4 fee has the potential to change sometime in the future, with the decision being at the discretion of the Council. In that case, Montes said the study would be updated, and if the study supports a fee change, a resolution would be put on the agenda and voted on by the Council. Additionally, evaluations of the fee schedule may also allow for cost adjustments, if cost recovery purposes are needed.
The nonresident weekend fee is enforced through a gate attendant at the park’s Virginia entrance. Exempt from the fee are city and San Marino Unified School District employees and up to three of their nonresident guests, as well as up to three nonresident guests of a San Marino resident. All children 4 years old and younger are admitted for free.
First published in the April 25 issue of the San Marino Tribune
