Authorize the Director of General Services to sign amendments to the Operating Agreements for Putah Creek Fishing Access and Clarksburg Public Access (Clarksburg Boat Launch) to allow the charging of fees to help defray the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities. (No general fund impact) (Yarris)

Authorize the Director of General Services to sign amendments to the Operating Agreements for Putah Creek Fishing Access and Clarksburg Public Access (Clarksburg Boat Launch) to allow the charging of fees to help defray the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities.

The Putah Creek Fishing Access is comprised of five separate access locations covering 87 acres along a three-mile stretch between Putah Creek and State Highway 128, west of Winters. The Clarksburg Boat Launch, located along South River Road approximately 2 miles south of Clarksburg, is four acres in size and provides boating and fishing access along the Sacramento River. Both facilities are owned by the State of California, Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and operated and maintained by the County under separate operating agreements. The operating agreements contain language that prohibit the collection of fees, however, after many years of discussion, CDFW has agreed to amend the language of both operating agreements to allow the County to collect reasonable fees to help defray the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities. It should be noted that Sections 9-3.701 through 9-3.704 of the Yolo County Code authorize the collection of fees at any park or recreation facility owned or controlled by the County, including Putah Creek Fishing Access and Clarksburg Boat Launch.

The approving authority for these two locations lie within different CDFW Regions. CDFW Region 2 has signed the operating agreement amendment for Putah Creek Fishing Access (Attachment A). CDFW Region 3 has reviewed the draft operating agreement amendment for Clarksburg Boat Launch and has signaled their approval, however, they have not yet signed. The Clarksburg Boat Launch amendment language is substantially similar to the Putah Creek Fishing Access language, and is expected to be signed by CDFW within the next few weeks.

The ability to collect fees at these facilities was recommended in the 2016 Sustainable Parks Study and directly supports 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Goal of Sustainable Environment: Identify and implement sustainable parks system model. As identified in the 2016 Sustainable Parks Study, of the 16 County park locations, the Putah Creek Fishing Access and Clarksburg Boat Launch are the second most and eighth most expensive parks to maintain, respectively. The fees collected at these locations will help offset operation and maintenance costs at these facilities, which will allow the parks system become more physically and financially sustainable. Authority to collect these fees was previously approved by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and is reflected on the Current Master Fee Schedule.

In October 2018, Parks staff communicated with Steve Karr, president of Putah Creek Trout, about charging fees at Putah Creek Fishing Access. Mr. Karr distributed a survey to 330 Putah Creek Trout members, as well as posted on a local fly fishing blog with approximately 1,000 followers, asking for comments on charging fees at Putah Creek Fishing Access. Mr. Karr received four responses—two had no objection to charging fees, and two were opposed. With respect to Clarksburg, staff did not directly communicate with user groups or individual customers, however, fees are collected at the two other County boat launches along the Sacramento River (Knights Landing and Elkhorn), so charging fees at Clarksburg would be consistent with current practices at County operated boat launches. Those who purchase annual boat launch passes would be able to use the pass at all three boat launch facilities.

The ability to charge fees at these locations has been discussed at multiple Parks, Recreation and Wildlife Advisory Committee (PRWAC) meetings over the past few years, most recently at the November 19, 2018 meeting. The Committee did not make a formal recommendation at the November 19, 2018 meeting, but did not offer any objection to staff continuing to pursue lease amendments to charge fees at both locations.

County Counsel has reviewed the amendments to the operating agreements and has approved as to form.