Reservoir fees to go up

Fees for certain types of recreational activities at San Diego’s eight reservoirs will go up, and some programs will be dropped, under a restructuring plan unanimously adopted Monday by the City Council.

Stacey LoMedico, director of the Park and Recreation Department, said fees at municipal reservoirs have not increased in a decade and currently do not cover the cost of the recreation programs offered.

The so-called “business process reengineering’’ plan endorsed by the City Council also eliminates some programs at San Diego’s reservoirs.

Weekday boat rentals will be cut at Murray, Miramar, Hodges and El Capitan municipal reservoirs. Phone reservations for boat rentals will be eliminated. Boat rentals, catfish restocking and duck hunting will also no longer be offered at Sutherland Reservoir near Ramona.

Fees at municipal reservoirs will largely go up across the board.

The cost for private boat launches will increase from $5 to $7, and the cost to launch a kayak will rise from $1 to $2. Fishing fees for adults will go from $5 to $8, and for seniors the fee will go from $2.50 to $4. The youth fishing fee of $2.50 will stay the same.

Water contact sports fees will double to $10 for adults and $5 for youth. The cost to rent a row boat, motor boat, canoe or kayak will also increase, as will hunting permits.

Andrea Tevlin, the city’s independent budget analyst, told the council it would be better to increase fees than to eliminate services.

“As undesirable as fees can be, I think this is the beginning of where we need to be headed as a city,’’ Tevlin said.

Councilman Jim Madaffer expressed “concern’’ that parking fees would be imposed at municipal reservoirs, but was assured by LoMedico that there is no proposal to charge to park at city lakes.