City of Lodi to hike fees at Lodi Lake for first time since 2022
May 24—The City of Lodi will be increasing fees at Lodi Lake, but officials say the higher costs will still be well below what's charged by other local agencies for recreational activities.
The Lodi City Council voted 3-0 to approve the increases Wednesday night.
Currently, daily entry fees into Lodi Lake are $5 and an annual entry pass is $50. An annual boat launch pass is $100.
With Wednesday's approval, entry fees to the lake will be $8 for residents and $10 for non-residents, while an annual pass will be $80 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
Annual boat launch fees will increase to $130 for residents and $156 for non-residents.
In addition, entry fees to the beach will increase from $3 to $5 for non-residents. However, Lodians will still pay $3.
The only entry fee not increasing is the one-time boat launch fee, which is currently $13.
The city last increased fees at the lake in 2022, when the entry fee was raised from $4 to $5. Staff said other increases at the park were minimal.
Councilman Alan Nakanishi said the increases approved Wednesday were modest, adding that supporting the proposal was a "no-brainer."
"If you went to the park four years ago, the pavement was rough, the bathrooms were stinky. We needed fixings," he said. "I went there last week. Amazing. Smooth pavements, chairs. We're building a bathroom. It's really beautiful."
In addition to entry fees, the city will also increase rental fees at the eight picnic areas at the park:
— Youth Area: from $300 to $375 for residents and $330 to $450 for non-residents
— Hughes Beach: from $80 to $165 for residents and $135 to $198 for non-residents.
— Kiwanis Shelter: from $120 to $225 for residents and from $132 to $270 for non-residents.
— Parson's Point and the Rotary Area: from $160 to $175 for residents and from $176 to $210 for non-residents.
— Beach Shelter: from $100 to $150 for residents and from $110 to $180 for non-residents.
Three new areas, the CA and AA Picnic Areas and the Discovery Center Patio, will see rental fees of $40 for residents and $48 for non-residents.
Staff said compared to similar regional facilities, Lodi Lake's current entry fees are about 60% lower and its boat launch fees are 20% lower.
As an example, weekend vehicle fees at Micke Grove Regional Park are currently $16 and $10 for holidays.
Daily fees at Camanche Reservoir are $20.50 while an annual pass is $235. Boat launch fees are $17.75 daily and $200 for an annual pass.
While the new fees are expected to increase revenues by more than $93,000 annually — average revenue over the last three years has been $227,903 — staff said the annual cost to operate Lodi Lake over the last three years has been more than $1.1 million. The funding gap is covered by $893,243 out of the city's general fund.
Staff said the park generated $91,594 in entry fee revenue last year and generated $116,937 since July 1. Annual passes generated $10,540 last year and generated $27,654 since the start of the 2024-25 fiscal year. In addition, beach entry fees generated $6,966 last year, and have generated $11,799 since July 1, staff said.
"We have an absolutely beautiful park now," Mayor Cameron Bregman said. "I was walking the nature area last week. Everything is meticulously landscaped and kept up, and I'm astounded by what the City of Lodi has to offer."
The new fees will take effect July 1.
Vice Mayor Ramon Yepez and Councilwoman Lisa Craig-Hensley were absent from Wednesday's meeting, as they were attending the OneVoice trip in Washington, D.C.
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