|
- Printable Version
What is Pay Per Hour?
A system to determine fees for field use on a per hour basis. In 2005 Portland Parks & Recreation, at the urging of the Sports Work Group (a volunteer committee of representatives from all the major sports leagues in Portland who work cooperatively and collaboratively with PP&R to address the challenges facing each), began working to identify a single and equitable method of assessing permit fees for use of the athletic fields owned or managed by the City of Portland. Following more than three years of collaboration, focus groups, and sub-committees, Pay Per Hour was identified as the preferred methodology. |
Why was Pay Per Hour developed?
To provide an equitable, flexible, and comprehensive method of payment for all sport facilities permittees. Additionally, it provides a tool to more effectively manage demand for fields - which has always been greater than field space available. Over the years, PP&R has had several different fee schedules for sports groups using City athletic facilities. Some were based on existing contracts/agreements, some on hourly fees, and still others on past practice. In addition, fields were not being used efficiently; groups could reserve fields with no financial incentive to release them if they were not needed. This reduced access for other groups, new sports, and needed maintenance. |
What are the Athletic Field Allocation Guidelines?
The guidelines assist the Customer Service Center in processing the hundreds of athletic field applications it receives annually. Additionally, they provide a framework for ensuring that all sports activities have access to our limited supply of fields. The guidelines were developed in conjunction with Pay Per Hour. As the community changes, PP&R will be better able to accommodate new sports activities. Athletic Field Allocation Guidelines |
|
How are Pay Per Hour fees determined?
By a simple formula: dividing the approximate Cost of Service by Hours of Use. Ultimately, PP&R strives to recover 100% of its costs through fees. We anticipate a 3-year phase-in.
- Cost of Service - Every 2-3 years, PP&R calculates the total cost of field maintenance and management for fields managed by PP&R, differentiating between PP&R baseball/softball fields, sport fields, and stadiums - and Portland Public Schools (PPS) fields.
- Hours of Use - The total number of playable hours is determined for each category of field. The calculations for cost per hour are as follows:
Total cost per hour for athletic fields is based on total maintenance costs and hours booked.
|
FY 2006-07
|
|
Total Cost for Athletic Fields
|
$3,082,291
|
|
Total Hours Booked
|
198,581
|
|
Total Cost Per Hour of Use
|
$15.52
|
Cost Recovery Goals
PP&R's cost recovery goals were established by City Council in 2005. These goals set the percentages PP&R should recover through fees for PP&R services:
Adult - 100%
Youth - 42%
Youth (HUD) - 23%
Each type of facility requires significantly different costs to maintain.
|
FY 2006-07
|
|
Facility Type*
|
Hours of Use
|
Maintenance Cost
|
Cost of Service Adult fee
|
Youth fee 42%
|
Youth fee 23% HUD**
|
|
School
|
38,164
|
$60,107
|
NA
|
$0.84
|
$0.46
|
|
Sport Field
|
56,186
|
$1,017,764
|
$23.13
|
$9.71
|
$5.32
|
|
Ball Field
|
99,774
|
$1,215,539
|
$15.55
|
$6.53
|
$3.58
|
|
Stadium
|
4,457
|
$120,877
|
$34.62
|
$14.54
|
NA
|
|
Total
|
198,581
|
$2,414,287
|
$15.52 (ave)
|
|
|
*The four separate Facility Types include the following:
School
Sports Fields (including football, soccer, lacrosse, kickball, etc.)
Ball Fields (all baseball and softball fields except those within stadiums)
Stadiums (including Sckavone, Walker, Erv Lind, Rieke, and Strasser)
The least expensive facilities are those school fields where PP&R only mows grass at this time. Stadiums and synthetic fields have the highest cost.
**2004 Cost Recovery Policy adopted the lower cost recovery goal (23%) by incorporating HUD guidelines for low income neighborhoods. Using HUD statistics (Report from Department of Housing and Urban Development 2003), 51% of residents living in the following neighborhoods have been determined to have income levels at or below 80% of Median Income.
|
HUD Neighborhoods
|
|
Boise
Brentwood/Darlington
Brooklyn Action Corps
Buckman
Cathedral Park
Centennial
Creston-Kenilworth
Cully
Cully-Sumner
Downtown
Eliot
Foster-Powell
Goose Hollow
|
Hazelwood
Hazelwood-Mill Park
Humboldt
Kenton
Kerns
King
Lents
Lents-Powellhurst-Gilbert
Mill Park
Montavilla
Mt Scott-Arleta
Old Town/Chinatown
Parkrose
|
Parkrose Heights
Piedmont
Portsmouth
Powellhurst-Gilbert
Roseway-Madison South
St Johns
Sumner
Sunderland
Vernon
Woodland Park
Woodlawn
|
|
What is the implementation plan?
PP&R is implementing a 3-year phase-in for adult usage fees which began in 2008 and will conclude in 2010 when fees will be directly based on Cost of Service and Cost Recovery figures indicated in the table above. The second year fees are approximately 86.4% of full implementation. Youth fees are on a 5-year phase-in schedule that began in 2008 and should be fully implemented in 2012. The second year fees are 16% of full implementation. |
|
What are the 2009 fees?
|
Field Type*
|
Hours of Use
|
Maintenance Cost
|
Cost of Service Adult fee
|
Youth fee 42%
|
Youth fee 23% HUD
|
|
School
|
38,164
|
$60,107
|
NA
|
$0.14
|
$0.07
|
|
Sport Field
|
56,186
|
$1,017,764
|
$19.97
|
$1.55
|
$0.85
|
|
Ball Field
|
99,774
|
$1,215,539
|
$14.92
|
$1.05
|
$0.57
|
|
Stadium
|
4,457
|
$120,877
|
$23.08
|
$2.33
|
NA
|
|
How will these fee increases impact sports programs in Portland?
Each league will likely need to increase sponsorships, donations, and/or registration fees. PP&R is working with youth leagues to support them in their sponsorship efforts. For many leagues simple reductions in unused practice bookings will save significant dollars.
Adult leagues who have the ability to travel will move some of their play out of the City. This may continue, but could have the unintended consequence of providing greater access to other sports that have had trouble accessing our facilities. |
How will Pay Per Hour fees be determined in the future?
PP&R reviews its Cost of Service (the cost to maintain its athletic facilities) every two to three years. If changes are required, they will be implemented in January of the following year and remain fixed for the year. |
Are these the only charges for fields?
There are several categories of extra charges.
Light Usage - The cost of using lights will be charged to all users. Like Pay Per Hour, costs will be determined based on usage, maintenance, replacement, cost of bulbs, and labor. Cost recovery goals will be applied. Only those who use lights will pay for them.
Rain-Outs/Credits for Cancellations - The PP&R Customer Service Center will document each rain-out called by PP&R Sports management. At the end of the season, PP&R will issue credit for the total number of hours each league lost due to rain-outs and apply those credits towards next year's primary season for that user group/league.
Restroom Facilities/Portable Restrooms - In 2009, primarily in response to neighborhoods and our school partners and as a service to sports leagues, PP&R Facility Maintenance Supervisors will supply portable restrooms to those athletic fields where restrooms are not readily available. The cost would then be shared by all sport facility permittees for that park. PP&R will provide the opportunity for an opt-out for those leagues that have sole use of a facility and a means of obtaining restroom facilities less expensively than PP&R.
The cost of the portable restroom is included in the hourly fee which creates a more equitable way of recovering the cost. The cost of damaged and or destroyed portable restroom facilities would be included in the following year's fees.
|
Does my league get credit for our volunteer service?
Indirectly, yes. Maintenance provided by volunteers inherently lowers the cost of service, which in turn reduces the cost per hour for use of fields. Continued volunteerism will provide lower fees for everyone. Youth baseball has historically provided some of the highest levels of volunteer service to maintain the fields for which they are permitted. There are many other examples of daily, weekly, annual, and one-time volunteer services applied to athletic facilities by sport associations, leagues, clubs or teams that lower overall cost. |
Will my financial donation lower my fees?
Capital improvements provided by leagues (facility renovations, new construction, adding new amenities such as dugouts and fences) are considered donations and would not reduce fees to the individual donor or their league. |
What can leagues do to reduce fees?
Leagues providing PP&R with participation information from their 2009 season will receive a 5% credit that can be used on future field usage. The required information includes participation, attendance/visitations, age of participants, and game schedules. However, carefully determining the actual field use hours needed is the best way to manage these costs. |
|
What do I need to do to apply for an Athletic Usage Field Permit?
Please review and complete each of the following forms, as appropriate, and return them to the Customer Service Center with payment:
- Facility Use Request Form. Complete a form for each park/field requested, an application processing fee ($23.45/$12.85) for each, and the $100 deposit (refundable after the Athletic Field Maintenance Supervisor gives proof of your attendance at the field maintenance workshop to the Customer Service Center).
- Application for Sports Food Concession in a Park. Include payment of application processing fee per park ($23.45/$12.85) plus the $500 refundable deposit.
- Vehicle Access Permit Request. Complete a form for each park concession and/or field maintenance vehicle pass required.
- 2009 Schedule (must be submitted before your first game). This will help our athletic field maintenance crew with their busy field-lining schedule. Please send your schedule to Athletic Field Maintenance, 6437 SE Division, Portland, OR 97206 or fax it to 503-823-9297.
- Confirmation or a copy of your current league insurance.
- Boundaries for your league.
- Number of teams in your league for current season.
|
|
Now that I'm paying per hour, how are rain-outs handled?
The PP&R Athletic Fields Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for calling rain-outs for our athletic fields. The PP&R Customer Service Center will document each rain-out called by PP&R. At the end of the season, PP&R will issue credit for the total number of hours each league lost due to rain-outs. At this time the credit can be refunded or applied toward post season play. If at the end of the season an account has credit remaining, it will be refunded. Note: Only those rain-outs called by PP&R will be credited. Credit may be held through the end of the season, but must be refunded at that time.
Rain-out Penalties
Fees will be assessed to groups that, by playing during official rain-outs, leave the fields damaged or unplayable. Individuals or leagues that repeatedly (more than one field annually) damage athletic facilities will lose the right to permitted field use for the remainder of the current season and the next season.
|
Do I need a permit for opening ceremonies and events?
You will need an additional permit if your opening day ceremonies take place in an area other than your permitted ball fields (e.g., picnic area). You can book that area at the same time you book your fields. This will allow you to reserve the site before the general public does. You will be charged an additional Application/Processing fee plus the Usage fee for the area reserved. |
Can our league place a food concession at our game field?
You must submit an Application for Sports Food Concession in a Park. |
Can our league use a car(s) to load/unload concession supplies or sports gear?
You must submit a Vehicle Access Permit Request ($53 per vehicle). You may also need a key ($100 refundable deposit) depending on the location. |
|
OTHER INFORMATION
Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) reserves many park and school fields until 6:00 PM through June 5, 2009.
School District fields are not available before March 1, 2009.
Many softball and baseball fields are still set up as soccer fields through March 3, so soccer goals may still be up at this time. PP&R does not recommend the use of fields not properly set up for the sport to be played and will make every effort to have fields set up in time for the league beginning practice/games.
School District fields are not available until 4:00 PM on weekdays.
School District fields are available until 8:00 PM nightly.
You must book your try-out dates separately if they are before March 1.
Other leagues may share the use of PP&R fields throughout the season. Please request only the fields and times that you actually need so that we can accommodate all users. The recognized in-season sport will have priority on the fields.
Keys to access electricity or remove pull-posts require a refundable deposit.
Field Permits are valid for the use of fields only. Permits for any other area of the park require an additional permit and must be requested separately. Some may require additional insurance. Approval of additional park facilities can take up to two weeks.
Special Use Permits are required for the following types of events:
- Try-outs before March 1
- Tournaments
- Opening/Closing Day ceremonies
- Beginning/end of season picnics
- Carnivals and/or other special events that are not league practice or games on ball fields
Field maintenance concerns should be directed to Athletic Field Maintenance, 503-823-1621. If you are requesting maintenance, please fax your league game schedule to 503-823-9297.
Make-up games on PP&R fields have to be completed by June 30, 2009. You may, however, request school fields through July 31 as needed. Requests for PP&R fields after June 30, 2009 will be considered on an individual basis by the Customer Service Center. These requests should be submitted by June 1, 2009 or earlier, when you have a better idea of your needs for make-up games or All Star practices.
All tournaments require a separate permit. Please contact the Customer Service Center at 503-823-2525 with your District Tournament schedules as early as possible so we may facilitate your needs.
Sunday Limited Use. Portland Parks & Recreation reserves the right to cancel usage on Sundays after Memorial Day through Labor Day in the following picnic parks: Columbia, Gabriel, Montavilla, Overlook, Peninsula, Pier, Sellwood, and Woodstock. This allows non-sports league users time to enjoy playing softball during their picnics. The Customer Service Center will contact the main contact on the Athletic Use Permit with any cancellations due to this policy.
All Good Neighbor Agreements apply, where applicable, and supersede these guidelines.
PP&R strives to limit play on fields, where appropriate and applicable, to adhere to zoning code conditional use requirements.
|
|
|
