The City of San Marcos is preparing to implement a managed access fee at Rio Vista Park, requiring out-of-town visitors to pay $5 to enter the riverfront park during peak summer periods.
The fee stems from an ordinance approved by the San Marcos City Council on April 7 and will be in effect from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The move also comes a year after the city implemented paid parking for non-residents at City Park, one of the popular launch points for tubing.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, out-of-town visitors will be required to pay a $5 fee to access the park during peak periods.
Managed access will be enforced on the busiest days, including Friday through Sunday on holiday weekends and Saturday through Sunday on non-holiday weekends.
Residents and qualifying community members will be exempt from the fee but must register in advance for a free park pass. Proof of eligibility can include a driver’s license, government-issued ID, utility bill, lease agreement, library card or a current paid parking permit.
Eligibility extends to those living within San Marcos city limits, residents in the 78666 ZIP code and individuals attending San Marcos CISD.
As summer crowds continue to surge, city leaders say the cost of keeping the park safe, clean and operational has climbed past $500,000 each year. a burden that has largely fallen on local taxpayers.
“Rio Vista Park is one of our community’s most used and cherished outdoor spaces, and that level of use comes with real costs,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Jamie Lee Case in a news release. “Managed access is about making sure the park is maintained and the river itself preserved without placing the entire burden onto taxpayers.”
The new fee is designed to shift part of that cost to the thousands of out-of-town visitors who flock to the river each season, creating a dedicated revenue stream for staffing and maintenance.
That includes park ambassadors, rangers and seasonal crews tasked with managing crowds, protecting the river environment and maintaining park facilities.
The fee will be in place during major holiday weekends:
Out-of-town visitors will be able to pay the managed access fee online once the system is finalized or in person at designated city facilities, including the San Marcos Activity Center and the Parks and Recreation Office (Grant Harris Jr. Building).
City officials say details on the online registration and payment system will be released soon.
Local participants will also have the option to receive a free park pass in the form of a wristband, which must be picked up in person at the Parks and Recreation Office. Up to five wristbands will be issued per household at no cost, with replacements available for $5.