Maricopa County park fees could increase
PHOENIX — You could soon be paying more to visit the 10 regional parks in the Maricopa County system.
A proposal by the county Parks and Recreation Board calls for increasing entry fees on school buses by $5 and commercial buses by $10. It also creates a new $25 entry fee for commercial passenger vans that hold 10 to 29 passengers.
Under the plan, people who buy an annual day-use entry pass would pay an extra $10 while visitors using motorized watercraft would pay $15 more for an annual pass.
The proposal also calls for adding a new $30 annual fee for non-motorized watercraft. Reserving camping space, picnic ramadas and classrooms would also cost more.
If the plan is approved, disabled veterans who complete an application would be eligible for a 50 percent discount. The parks include:
• Adobe Dam Regional Park
• Buckeye Hills Regional Park
• Cave Creek Regional Park
• Desert Outdoor Center
• Estrella Mountain Regional Park
• Lake Pleasant Regional Park
• McDowell Mountain Regional Park
• San Tan Mountain Regional Park
• Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area
• Usery Mountain Regional Park
• White Tank Mountain Regional Park
A hearing to gather public input will take place Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, located at 234 N. Central Ave., Suite 6400, in Phoenix.
You can also provide comments by emailing maricopacountyparks@mail.mariocpa.gov.
A detailed breakdown of the plan is available at maricopa.gov.