Submitted By: Beaches, Parks and Recreation
Prepared By: Samantha Wylie, Beaches, Parks & Recreation Director;
Carrie Swartz, Recreation Supervisor
Subject:
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CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A REVISED COMPETITIVE YOUTH AQUATIC SPORTS PARTNERSHIP POLICY NO. 702-9
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Summary:
The proposed Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy updates the City's framework for administering partnerships with nonprofit aquatic organizations that provide youth programming at the San Clemente Aquatics Center. The revisions modernize administrative procedures, improve accountability and facility utilization tracking, and provide a more consistent process for partnership eligibility, facility allocation, and billing.
The Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the proposed policy at its June 23, 2026, Special Meeting and unanimously recommended approval to the City Council with two modifications. Both modifications have been incorporated into the policy presented for Council consideration.
Background:
The Recreation Division maintains a Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy to establish eligibility requirements, facility allocation priorities, and discounted facility use opportunities for qualified nonprofit aquatic organizations serving San Clemente youth at the San Clemente Aquatics Center. During the 2025 partnership allocation process, both existing aquatic partner organizations requested exceptions to the policy after neither organization met the established criteria to qualify for Tier I Partnership status. Following public review, the Commission determined that the existing policy no longer adequately reflected the operational realities of the City's aquatic partnership program and unanimously recommended granting Tier I Partnership status to both organizations through policy exceptions for the 2025 allocation period. The City Council approved this exception.
Recognizing the need to evaluate the policy itself rather than continue relying on annual exceptions, the Commission directed that a comprehensive review of the Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy be undertaken. To facilitate this effort, the Commission established a Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy Subcommittee. Over the course of several meetings, the Subcommittee reviewed the existing policy framework. A variety of topics were evaluated including partnership eligibility, residency requirements, facility allocation methodologies, billing practices, participation tracking, and the long-term sustainability of the City's aquatic partnership program.
Following Subcommittee discussion, staff conducted a comprehensive review of the existing policy and initiated an extensive stakeholder outreach process with both aquatic partner organizations. Through multiple meetings, feedback was received regarding operational challenges, partnership administration, residency thresholds, and participation tracking. This collaborative process resulted in several refinements to the proposed policy and identified opportunities to modernize program administration, improve facility utilization tracking, simplify billing procedures, and enhance accountability while continuing to support organizations that provide valuable recreational and competitive aquatic opportunities for San Clemente youth.
On June 23, 2026, the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission conducted a public hearing to consider the proposed policy. Following discussion and public comment, the Commission unanimously recommended approval of the revised policy to the City Council with two modifications, both of which have been incorporated into the policy presented for Council consideration.
Discussion:
The proposed policy reorganizes and clarifies existing partnership requirements while introducing several operational improvements designed to enhance consistency, accountability, and administrative efficiency.
Table 1. Partnership Eligibility Comparison (Tier I Partner)
|
Policy Element |
Current Policy |
Proposed Policy |
|
Tier I Resident Requirement |
88% San Clemente residents |
78% San Clemente residents |
|
Minimum Participation |
300 annual participants |
None |
|
Partnership Discount |
60% discount |
55% discount |
|
Residency Verification |
Annual roster submission |
All members must obtain a City-issued swim card and maintain the appropriate account status |
|
Billing Methodology |
Hourly lane rental based on scheduled lane use |
Monthly billing based on actual participant attendance |
|
Participation Tracking |
No participant check-in required |
Participant check-in required through City's recreation software |
|
Financial Documentation |
IRS Form 990, annual budget, tax returns |
IRS Form 990, annual operating budget, year-end P&L or audited financial statement |
Table 2. Partnership Fee Comparison, reflected with discounts
|
|
Current Hourly Model |
Proposed Per Swimmer Model |
|
Resident Standard Lane Rate |
$11.20/hour |
$1.80/swimmer |
|
Resident Expanded Lane Rate |
$24.00/hour |
$3.86/swimmer |
|
Nonresident Standard Lane Rate |
N/A |
$4.05/swimmer |
|
Nonresident Expanded Lane Rate |
N/A |
$8.66/swimmer |
|
Tier I Discount |
60% |
55% |
|
Billing Basis |
Hourly lane rental |
Individual participant attendance |
Table 3. Billing Methodology Comparison
|
|
Current Policy |
Proposed Policy |
|
Billing Unit |
Hourly lane rental |
Per swimmer, per day |
|
Basis for Charges |
Number of lanes reserved |
Actual participant attendance |
|
Tracking Method |
Lane schedule |
Participant check-in |
|
Billing Frequency |
Monthly |
Monthly |
|
Administrative Effort |
Track lane hours |
Automated participation reporting |
|
Utilization Data |
Limited, based on submissions of each organization |
Individual participant utilization |
|
Accountability |
Lane occupancy only |
Participant-level attendance records |
In summary, these key updates include:
A. Transitioning from a primarily lane-based billing methodology to a participation-based billing model utilizing participant check-in through the City's recreation management software.
B. Establishing clearer partnership classifications, eligibility requirements, and annual review procedures.
C. Clarifying facility allocation priorities and participation tracking requirements.
D. Separating operational procedures from policy by incorporating administrative requirements into individual Partnership Agreements.
E. Reorganizing the policy into a more user-friendly format with supporting appendices.
Throughout the review process, staff received feedback from both aquatic partner organizations and the Commission Subcommittee. Several revisions were made to the proposed policy in response to the feedback, including refinements to residency requirements, partnership classifications, participation tracking language, enforcement provisions, and administrative procedures.
Commission Recommendation
At the Special Meeting on June 23, 2026, the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission recommended approval of the proposed policy with two modifications. The Commission recommended removal of the proposed fourteen (14) day cancellation requirement. In response, the policy was revised to reference the City's existing Aquatic Cancellation Policy rather than establishing a separate cancellation requirement within the Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy.
The Commission also requested clarification of the Standard and Expanded Lane Rental rates contained within the policy appendix. Staff reviewed the City's adopted fee schedule and revised the appendix to ensure consistency with the approved resident and non-resident lane rental rates. Expanded lane rental rates were recalculated using the City's adopted long-course to short-course lane ratio.
Both modifications have been incorporated into the policy presented for City Council consideration.
Considerations Identified by Staff:
The proposed Youth Aquatic Partnership Policy is intended to modernize the City's approach to administering aquatic partnerships while preserving the long-standing relationship between the City and its nonprofit aquatic organizations. The revisions improve administrative efficiency, strengthen accountability, and provide a more transparent framework for allocating public aquatic facilities.
A primary consideration throughout development of the policy was balancing the City's responsibility to prioritize access for San Clemente residents while recognizing the operational realities of youth aquatic organizations. The proposed partnership classifications and residency requirements reflect input received from aquatic partners and the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission and represent a balanced approach that supports organizational sustainability while maintaining resident-focused use of public facilities.
The transition to participation-based billing and attendance tracking also provides meaningful operational benefits. Utilizing participant check-in through the City's recreation management software aligns billing with actual facility use, improves utilization reporting, reduces manual administrative processes, and enhances emergency accountability by identifying who is using the facility at any given time.
Because these revisions represent a significant change in how the partnership program is administered, staff suggests implementing the policy as a one-year pilot program. The pilot will allow the City to evaluate participation trends, administrative processes, billing procedures, and overall program effectiveness before determining whether refinements are appropriate. Following the pilot period, staff will return to the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council with findings and any recommended policy modifications.
Council Options:
• Approve the proposed revised aquatic partnership policy and direct staff to implement the policy as a one-year pilot program beginning October 1, 2026.
• Approve the policy with modifications.
• Provide alternative direction to staff.
• Take no action.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
The proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because it involves administrative activities that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable physical change to the environment.
Fiscal Impact:
The proposed policy revisions are not anticipated to create a significant fiscal impact because there are no modifications to the City’s adopted aquatic fee schedule; only changes to the methodology used to administer partnership billing. Staff anticipates that the revised participation tracking and billing methodology will improve the accuracy of facility utilization reporting and cost recovery administration.
Potential Action(s):
recommendation
If the City Council concurs with the contents of the staff report, the appropriate action would be to adopt Resolution No. 26-130, which will:
1. Approve the revised Competitive Youth Aquatic Sports Partnership Policy No. 702-9
2. Direct staff to implement the policy as a one-year pilot program beginning October 1, 2026, with an evaluation of the program presented to the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council prior to the conclusion of the pilot period.
end
Attachment:
1. Resolution No. 26-130
2. Proposed Policy No. 702-9, “Competitive Youth Aquatic Sports Partnerships”
3. Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Draft Minutes - June 23, 2026
4. Current Policy No. 702-9
Notification:
Youth Aquatics Partners