San Rafael, CA – There is some great news coming from Marin County Parks this summer: Entry fees will be sliced in half at three popular facilities starting July 1, and the admission for the McNears Beach Park pool in San Rafael will be free starting August 1.
McNears Beach Park in eastern San Rafael is one of three Marin County Parks facilities at which parking fees will be cut in half, down to $5, starting July 1.Summer weekend and holiday vehicle parking fees have been $10 at
McNears Beach Park,
Stafford Lake Park near Novato and
Paradise Beach Park on the Tiburon Peninsula. On June 11, the Marin County Board of Supervisors
adopted a resolution to amend Parks’ fee schedule and cut the cost to $5. It was a follow-up move to the Board’s May 7 recommendation after hearing the results of
Parks’ resident survey earlier this year.
“The survey gave us tangible evidence that we need to prioritize access to our parks for all residents, regardless of their financial situation,” said Max Korten, Director of Marin County Parks. “It was clear that the entry fees were a barrier for many people. Parks are special places where visitors can connect with the natural world, and this amendment to our fee schedule is another way to assure facility access to everyone.”
The fee reduction can be traced to the success of Measure A, a quarter-cent retail transactions and use tax. Otherwise known as the Marin Parks, Open Space, and Farmland Preservation Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance of 2012. Measure A included a promise to reduce Parks facility entry fees. Starting in 2015, the fees for walk-ins and bike-ins was eliminated and the summer weekday park entry fees were reduced.
About 12,300 drivers paid the $10 entry fee at the three parks in 2018. Parks estimates about $100,000 less will be collected annually with the fee reductions and free pool admission. If necessary, funds from Measure A would be used to make up for lost revenue – a use consistent with the funding restrictions of the countywide ordinance.
Measure A not only supports County parks and open space projects and programs, but also local city and town parks and programs, farmland preservation and land acquisition.
Learn more about Parks at www.marincountyparks.org. The department is always in need of volunteers, and you can learn more about those opportunities on the website as well.