A Bulverde proposal would set two-hour park rentals from $20 to $100 and add a one-time $35 surcharge for nonresidents, according to the Sept. 22 meeting packet.
Under the proposal, a two-hour reservation would cost $100 for the gazebo, $70 for either pavilion and $20 for the basketball court or either practice field, plus a one-time $35 surcharge for nonresidents.
The base prices would apply to each two-hour increment. The nonresident charge would apply once per reservation, while practice-field bookings would be limited to four hours.
A Fee Schedule Dating to 2014
Bulverde's current park rental fees were last adopted Jan. 14, 2014, and city staff says they recover about 17% of the $94,600 annual parks operating budget.
The staff report lists average annual rental revenue of $16,000 and a $78,600 operating gap. It estimates the nonresident surcharge alone would add $5,000 to $7,000 a year and lift cost recovery to about 23%, before revenue from higher base prices is counted.
The proposal also creates a sliding refund schedule: 75% with at least 10 days’ notice, 50% with five to nine days’ notice and no refund with less than five days. It would allow one no-cost transfer when requested at least five days before an event and would provide no refund for rain, other inclement weather or a splash-pad outage.
What Council Recorded
Council discussed updated park-rental fees, continuing operating losses and periodic review of the fee schedule.
The independently reviewed recording classifies the item’s disposition as discussion only. The posted agenda had listed an ordinance for discussion and possible approval, but an agenda describes proposed business rather than the result.
The park-fee item was one part of a long meeting that also covered the city budget, tax rate, development requests and street rules. Comal.News’ full Sept. 22 council recap follows those recorded actions.
What Happens Next
The draft ordinance says it would take effect upon passage and approval, making a later adopted ordinance or recorded council action the next verification point.
Until that record appears, residents can inspect the proposed prices, refund rules and fiscal assumptions in the city packet. The decisive follow-up will be a later agenda, adopted ordinance or official outcome establishing whether the schedule took effect.