To establish the facility use policy for groups or individuals renting and using county park facilities and setting fees and charges for the use of such facilities, including vehicle entrance fees and parking fees for county parks.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
For the purpose of determining the rental fees for the various uses, the following classifications are hereby established for the various groups and individuals that rent or use county park facilities:
A. 
Group A.
1. 
Business meetings hosted by the Merced County board of supervisors.
2. 
Nonprofit community organizations that have contributed to the construction and development of park facilities (Merced Fish and Game Club, Merced Rotary Club, Merced American Legion Post/V.F.W., and Merced Garden Club).
B. 
Group B. County departments when facilities are used for staff training, professional organizational meetings, or employee retirement parties. This group involves three different types of organizations:
1. 
County departments when facilities are used for staff training (Monday through Friday eight a.m. to five p.m. only), professional organizational meetings, or employee retirement parties.
2. 
Organized youth organizations serving youths 18 years of age or younger, which are supervised by volunteers, and the event is attended by the youths represented by the organization.
3. 
Senior citizen's social clubs which are using the rented facility for their members.
Each organization or club must submit a written request to qualify for this group to the Merced County parks and recreation division for review and consideration and must be qualified by the director of public works.
C. 
Group C.
1. 
Nonprofit service, charitable, nonqualified youth organizations, registered political groups, governmental meetings/workshops (non-Merced County hosted), and fraternal organizations.
2. 
Private functions and individual reservations such as weddings, receptions, reunions, socials, and any type of out-of-county groups and organizations.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
Based on the classification of a group or individual, the following fees and charges are hereby established to cover the maintenance and operational costs for these various uses/rentals:
A. 
Group A. No fee required. However, the actual cost of clean-up (if needed) shall be billed to the organizations responsible for the reservation. This applies to the following organizations:
1. 
Fish and Game Building (Lake Yosemite Park).
a. 
Merced Fish and Game Club. Twelve monthly business meetings and one social event annually.
b. 
Merced Garden Club. Twelve monthly business meetings annually.
2. 
Rotary Cove (Lake Yosemite Park). Merced Rotary Club. Limited use as requested and to be arranged with the deputy director of public works (parks and recreation division).
3. 
Veterans Cove (Lake Yosemite Park). American Legion Post No. 83/V.F.W. Limited use as requested and to be arranged with the deputy director of public works (parks and recreation division).
4. 
Rotary Cove II (Lake Yosemite Park). Merced Rotary Club. Limited use as requested and to be arranged with the deputy director of public works (parks recreation division).
B. 
Group B. Fees and charges to cover the cost of the county's out-of-pocket expense.
C. 
Group C. Fees and charges to cover the cost of the county's out-of-pocket expense for maintenance and operation, long-term maintenance of facilities and parking. A cash cleaning deposit will be required for all buildings and picnic shelters and is refundable, upon inspection by parks staff. Anyone requesting to decorate the night before an event, when the facility is not rented the night before by another group, will be charged at a rate of $17 per hour.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
A.
Park/Facility
Group A
Group B
Group C
Lake Yosemite Park
 
 
 
Fish and Game
No fee
$140.00
$400.00
(Deposit Fish and Game Non-Profit Groups, Churches and Youth Groups)
No fee
No fee
100.00
(Deposit all others)
No fee
No fee
150.00
(Pre-event decorating)
No fee
17.00/hr
17.00/hr
Rotary Cove
No fee
75.00
200.00
Veteran's Cove
No fee
75.00
200.00
(*Deposit Veteran's/Rotary)
No fee
No fee
100.00
Rotary Cove II
No fee
50.00
145.00
(*Deposit Rotary II)
No fee
No fee
50.00
Scout Island (youth groups only)
N/A
50.00
N/A
Scout Island (special fundraising events only)
No fee
N/A
300.00
Henderson Park
 
 
 
Clubhouse and area
No fee
100.00
300.00
(cleaning deposit)
No fee
No fee
125.00
(Pre-event decorating)
No fee
17.00/hr
17.00/hr
Picnic shelter
No fee
75.00
200.00
(Deposit)
No fee
No fee
100.00
Grove area
No fee
23.00
55.00
Hagaman Park
 
 
 
Mahoney shelter
No fee
75.00
200.00
Large shelter group
No fee
50.00
100.00
Designated reservations
No fee
28.00
66.00
Winton Park
 
 
 
Picnic shelter
No fee
75.00
200.00
(Cleaning deposit)
No fee
No fee
100.00
Notes:
* not required for nonprofit groups, churches and youth groups.
B. 
Refuse Collection. Additional fees may be charged if additional refuse collection is required by a group at a rental facility or special event. The rate charged will be that fee charged by the refuse collection agency to make an additional pick up.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
Boat launching fees and sailboat mooring/storage shall be as follows:
A. 
Boat Launching Permits. Fifty dollars per year or $6 per day. A second boat or personal watercraft (jet ski) annual pass (same registered owner) can be purchased for $25. Senior citizen (adults 62 plus) boat passes, $30 per year and second boat or personal watercraft $15 (same registered owner). Annual passes will be placed on the boat/personal watercraft by county staff in an area visible to staff collecting fees at the main gate.
B. 
Sailboat Mooring/Storage. The Lake Yosemite Sailboat Association shall manage the rental of the boat slips at Lake Yosemite as per Contract No. 2005037. Upon termination of the contract, the parks and recreation division shall resume management of the boat slips. Slips will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis by the parks and recreation division office. Cost of mooring/storage will be that fee charged by the Lake Yosemite Sailboat Association prior to the termination of the contract. Additional fees may be assessed to cover the cost of maintenance and repair of the boat slips.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
The following reservation procedure shall be followed for groups and/or individuals wanting to rent or use county park facilities:
A. 
Reservations for the use of park facilities at Lake Yosemite, Hagaman, Henderson, and Winton County Parks must be made by contacting the parks and recreation division office, bottom floor of the Old Courthouse, West 21st and "N" Streets, or by calling (209) 385-7426.
B. 
Reservations for Group A will have priority in using park facilities. A list of meetings and functions requested may be submitted to the parks and recreation division office two years prior to the date of desired rental. Reservations for this group received within one year will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
C. 
Reservations for Group B and Group C will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for all facilities up to 12 months in advance. Groups that have reserved a minimum of five consecutive years, the same facility, on a holiday and desire to continue to reserve the same facility on the same holiday, may reserve the designated facility up to two years in advance. The fee will be an additional 40% more of the current rental fee. The current fee will be determined by the rate one year in advance of the reservation date. The deposit rate will also be required one year in advance.
D. 
A facility may be tentatively reserved, either in person, by telephone, or written request and held for a period of up to two weeks. An application and agreement for the use of the park facilities must be completed and signed and rental fee paid (if applicable) within the two-week period or the tentative reservation will automatically be cancelled.
E. 
Any reservation that is cancelled with at least two weeks prior notice to the reservation date will be assessed a fifteen dollar ($15.00) processing fee.
F. 
Reservations cancelled less than two weeks of the reservation date will forfeit the total rental fee, no exceptions.
G. 
Any group, individual, or organization that reserves a facility and does not use that facility will forfeit the entire rental fee paid for the reservation.
H. 
The Merced County public works department parks and recreation division reserves the right to limit the number of reservations for each facility on each given day to allow for scheduling of custodial services.
I. 
No reservations will be accepted for Christmas Day or New Year's Day.
J. 
Any reservation at the Fish and Game Building or Club House providing alcohol and dancing will be required to provide security. The security company will have to be approved by the sheriff's department. The security personnel must alert park staff of any problems occurring at the reservation.
K. 
All reservation facilities must be cleaned and vacated by eleven p.m.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
A. 
An admission fee of $6 per vehicle and $10 per bus shall be charged; such fee is in addition to any other fees charged within Lake Yosemite Park for use of special facilities or obtaining permits.
B. 
Exceptions. The following are exempt from the vehicle admission fee:
1. 
Pedestrians;
2. 
Bicyclists;
3. 
Government vehicles driven for governmental business (state, county, district, etc.);
4. 
Vehicles driven by county employees, contractors, or agents assigned to the park;
5. 
Vehicles driven by park concessionaires and employees working at the park;
6. 
Vehicles used for general businesses at the park, including delivery men and service calls;
7. 
Vehicles driven by individuals attending functions being held at rented facilities.
C. 
Annual Vehicle Pass. An annual pass may be purchased for $50 per year or $30 for senior citizens 62 years of age or over. This annual pass shall be valid for one calendar year and admit one vehicle. Each additional vehicle (owned by the same person) will be charged $20 and $15 for seniors for an annual pass and valid for one calendar year. Annual passes shall be placed on the vehicle by county staff in an area visible to staff collecting fees at the main gate.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
A. 
A vehicle parking fee of $3 per vehicle shall be charged at Hagaman and Henderson Parks; such fee is in addition to any other fees charged at Hagaman and Henderson Parks for use of special facilities or obtaining permits.
B. 
Exceptions. The following are exempt from the vehicle parking fee:
1. 
Pedestrians;
2. 
Bicyclists;
3. 
Government vehicles driven for governmental business (state, county, district, etc.);
4. 
Vehicles driven by county employees, contractors, or agents assigned to the park;
5. 
Vehicles driven by park concessionaires and employees working at the park;
6. 
Vehicles used for general businesses at the park, including deliveries and service calls;
7. 
Vehicles driven by individuals attending functions being held at rented facilities.
C. 
Annual Vehicle Pass. An annual pass for Merced County parks charging a vehicle entrance fee can be purchased for $75 or for senior citizens 62 years or older, $50. For a vehicle containing a current pass that has the windshield replaced, a second pass will be available for $2, upon showing a current receipt.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
A. 
Signs. Signs advising park users of the various fees shall be posted.
B. 
Collection of Fees. The public works director is responsible for collecting all fees. Regular employees, extra help employees, or mechanical devices may be utilized as deemed necessary by the public works director.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)
A. 
Anyone requesting a special event or a waiver that requires a permit shall be assessed a fifteen dollar ($15.00) processing fee.
B. 
Groups/individuals requesting to host a special event at Lake Yosemite Park and requesting to use the entire park shall be charged $3,000 per day for Saturday or Sunday or holiday (park open holiday) and $1,500 per regular weekday, not including the rental fees for the facilities.
C. 
Groups requesting to host a special event at Lake Yosemite Park from the LeGrand Canal to Rotary Cove II shall be charged $1,500 per day for Saturday or Sunday or holiday (park open holiday) and $750 per regular weekday, not including the rental fees for the facilities.
D. 
Groups requesting to host special events at Henderson and Hagaman Parks shall be charged $250 per day for Saturday or Sunday or holiday (park open holiday) and $100 per regular weekday, not including the rental fees for the facilities.
E. 
Vendors at a special event that are "for-profit" must pay a fee of $10 per day and are subject to liability insurance. The vendor fee will be waived for vendors at a special event that are nonprofit service related but are subject to liability insurance. Proof of nonprofit status may be required.
F. 
Fees for groups requesting to host a special event at other county parks shall be negotiated with the deputy director of parks and recreation.
G. 
Bounce Houses. All bounce house, dunk tanks and play apparatus companies or owners must provide liability insurance as required by risk management. A fifteen dollar ($15.00) permit processing fee will be assessed to all persons, groups or organizations requesting a permit for one of the above play structures in an area outside of a reservation area.
(Ord. 1744 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1792 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1855 § 1, 2009)