Oregon State Parks removed about 200 trees during its 11-month construction work at Beverly Beach State Park north of Newport last year, but left some trunks standing that birds and other wildlife can nest in. (Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle)
By JAMIE HALE/The Oregonian/OregonLive
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission wants to reopen its rulebook to make a few changes that park officials hope will save the agency millions of dollars in the coming years.
Members of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission voted last month to reopen the agency’s rules on park rates, seeking ways to fill a budget shortfall that is now projected at $8 million for 2025-27 and could be higher for the next biennium.
Proposed changes are focused on four areas — refunds for canceled reservations, the introduction of dynamic pricing for campgrounds, changes to the agency’s special access pass and flexibility for the cost of day-use parking permits.
Most of the changes are designed to improve the long-term financial sustainability of the state parks system, the agency said.
The changes in the reservation system are an attempt to eliminate the vexing problem of empty campsites at highly-competitive campgrounds — an issue that has long troubled Oregon State Parks.
Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposed rule changes from Monday, Dec. 1 to Jan. 15, with a virtual public hearing planned for Dec. 15. Comment can be submitted by email at [email protected]. The parks commission will revisit the proposal at a February meeting. If approved, the new rules will go into place March 1.
Here’s what changes could be in store at Oregon State Parks:
South Beach State Park is the largest on the central Oregon coast and is often full on sunny weekends. (Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle)Stricter cancellation policy
As it stands, anyone who cancels a state park campground reservation within three days of the reservation date gets a full refund. According to park officials, that has become a big problem.
With campsites becoming increasingly busy, especially at Oregon coast parks, people have been snatching up spots six months in advance and then canceling them last-minute when other plans arise. That behavior led to empty campsites at otherwise competitive campgrounds, which rankles other campers.
Roughly 30 percent of Oregon state park reservations end up being canceled, Katie Gauthier, the agency’s government relations and communications manager told the parks commission in November. And while the department has recently tried to alleviate that hit by adding same-day reservations that allow people to snatch up canceled spots, it’s time for a stronger rule, she said.
The proposed rule change would eliminate all refunds for no-show campers and would offer a tiered refund system for those who cancel their reservations in advance. The refund amount would be based on how soon a camper is canceling before the reservation date, and how long they’ve held onto the reservation. Park officials have yet to release any specifics for those tiers, but said it would be clearly outlined for anyone making a reservation.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department currently has a Special Access Pass program that offers free camping to disabled veterans from any state, as well as Oregon foster families and adoptive foster families. Those programs will remain, but park officials are looking to scale back how many camping nights and campsites are offered to recipients.
Veterans currently get 10 free nights of camping per month, as well as free day-use passes. The proposed change would cut that back to 10 free nights of camping per year, with no free day-use passes, and would limit the program to Oregon veterans only.
Foster families currently get 14 free nights of camping per month at up to two campsites. That would be reduced to 10 free nights of camping per year at one camp site and would limit the offer to Oregon residents.
The Special Access Pass program currently provides camping to 41,398 veterans, 652 foster families and 1,923 adoptive foster families, according to the agency, most of whom don’t take advantage of the full benefits. The proposed changes would save an estimated $2.2 million per biennium, officials said.
Officials seek flexibility
In the November commission meeting, park officials made it clear that there are no current plans to raise camping or parking fees, both of which were raised earlier this year. But the agency is looking for the flexibility to change those prices in the future.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission is considering a dynamic pricing model that could raise or lower camping fees based on the day of the week, season and demand. (Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle)Under a proposed rule change, parks would be able to introduce a dynamic pricing model that could vary by the season, day of the week or based on demand. The proposed rate ranges would keep the base rates the same but would further raise the ceiling on campsite prices, which were raised this past summer.
Under the proposal, RV sites would cost $31 to $80 per night, while tent sites would cost $10 to $45 per night. Nightly rates for rustic yurts and cabins could peak as high as $105 and $115, while deluxe cabins and yurts could cost as much as $190 per night.
Day use parking fees could theoretically cost as much as $25 per vehicle under the proposed rule changes, with annual passes costing up to $100 per year, though officials have no current plans to charge those prices, they said. The increase would simply give the department the flexibility to do so in the future, Gauthier said.
The higher ceiling for camping and parking costs allows the agency to make more money when parks are in demand, officials said, which could be a big revenue boost down the line. It would also allow the agency to be more reactive to changes in inflation.
Elizabeth Hill, chair of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission, voiced concern over the dynamic pricing plan at the November meeting, asking if some lower-income families might get priced out of their summer vacations.
“There’s places that if rates go supremely high, up to $80 a night for full hookups, does that limit your average family from Burns that wants to go to the coast in the summer and stay for a week, and be able to plan ahead for something like that, with a decent rate versus a last-minute dynamic pricing?” Hill asked.
“That’s a challenge that we have to keep balancing: the demand, the revenue stability needs and access for Oregonians,” Gauthier responded. “It’ll be a continuing conversation that we’ll keep having with you and with Oregonians as they review these rate ranges.”
- Jamie Hale is a travel and outdoors reporter at The Oregonian/OregonLive and can be reached at [email protected]
Get rid of third party operators. Your parks were in better shape before the third party were running them. Make it first come first serve. And as far rates, state parks should not be cheaper than the guy down the road’s campground. Your taking money out of the coffers of business that pay taxes to the of Oregon
Veterans are allowed a few too many subsidies. It’s a tough time being in the military, but they did volunteer and foster families are paid to be foster families and they don’t do it for free.
This will just result in fewer people going to the state parks. This all stems from a spending problem not a lack of money.
Not true. Baby-boomers are still alive and well. We were drafted into a war we didn’t want, and spent four years of our youth putting our lives on the line, and defending our country to keep you safe. Our benefits are cut every year. People cancel their reservations because state parks are already over priced and run down because of poor management. Chair Elizabeth Hill is correct in saying state parks are pricing the poor out. Like most government systems in Oregon, they do not know how to live within their budget.
I am against the amount of all of the increases. You can’t compare your fees with private campgrounds. You get taxpayer money, they don’t. As an 85 year Oregon resident, I think you are punishing the families like mine was, people on fixed income, and all of the rest. Wealthy people won’t care if the fee increases. We had great memories of staying in State Parks. The amount you are increasing is excessive. A normal, reasonable increase is probably needed, due to inflation, but almost doubling the fees hurts the average person.
One of the most wonderful aspects of the State of Oregon is its natural environment. The natural environment, parks, bicycle and hiking trails bring a huge influx of visitors every year, and that number is growing. These visitors do not only camp but stay in local hotels, spend money in restaurants and retail shops, etc. Our parks are suffering from increased visitation and lack of funding to maintain and support them. Yet, Oregon raises approximately $40 million from Transient Lodging Taxes (TLT) a year. These taxes are roughly distributed between –
65%: State tourism programs (marketing, destination stewardship)
20%: Regional Cooperative Tourism Program
10%: Competitive grants for tourism, events, facilities
5% Administration/Other.
I don’t believe any of these monies go to funding our State Parks. Considering how much of these Transient Lodging Taxes are raised because people visit Oregon’s State Parks and public lands maybe it’s time that Oregon started using less of these tax dollars for marketing and more to support the management and maintenance of our parks and public lands.
If in your words “most” of the veterans and special pass holders don’t use the full benefits then why mess with the pass? The few that do ultimately aren’t adding up to anything consequential given your estimated $1.1 million per year savings? Again what are you saving if not everyone is taking full advantage? This proposition just aims to reign in the few disabled veterans and other pass holders who are taking full advantage.