The Zionsville Board of Parks and Recreation on Nov. 12 unanimously approved a new 2026 fee schedule that raises rates for several park services to better reflect operating costs.

Superintendent Jared told the board the department used its cost-recovery formula and work-order data to set rates. He said the changes are intended to reflect the true costs of utilities, maintenance and proactive turf management rather than to impose arbitrary increases. "Our price points were pretty arbitrary," he said. "As we are truly looking at how can we better provide services to our community...that's where that financial sustainability philosophy came."

Major changes the board approved include higher garden-plot fees (examples cited in the presentation: $35 for a 10-by-10 plot and $40 for larger plots), new tiered shelter rates with higher weekend prices (weekend full-day rental $150; weekday rates unchanged), a "premier day" Lincoln Park reservation set at $200, and increased sports-field reservation fees (the department proposed raising a 4-hour reservation from $5 to $25 per field, a 4-hour reservation with lights at $65 per field, full-day $50 per field and full-day with lights $90). Camps will rise from $8 per hour to $13 per hour. The department also proposed modest fees for chair rentals ($2 for residents, $2.50 for nonresidents), vendor spaces ($35), and vendor concessions and food-truck arrangements (10% of event sales).

Board members sought and received clarifications on how specific amenities will be managed. Jared said the dog park already meets cost-recovery goals so its fees remain unchanged, and that pickleball courts remain free for drop-in play but can be reserved by nonprofits or groups. A board member linked some of the urgency for updated fee-setting to SB1, the recent state tax change that affects local revenue: one member said SB1 "really put this into overdrive." Jared confirmed the department is exploring scholarships and foundation subsidies to ease implementation: "We're actually working with the foundation right now on a subsidy for some of these price points so that we can ease them in," he said.

Chad Dilley moved to approve the updated fee schedule; Chair Chris Barksdale seconded. A roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval from Doug Tishbein, Kimberly Lane, Matt Milburn, Chad Dilley, Anna Shappaugh, Kent Perkins and Chair Chris Barksdale.

The board approved the fee schedule as maximums; Jared said staff will continue to apply the cost-recovery formulas and monitor community feedback. The first formal step following the vote is implementation planning and public outreach; the department also plans to return with scholarship details in coordination with the Zionsville Parks Foundation.

Votes and motions at the meeting show the board approved the fee schedule as presented; specific line-item implementation dates and final program rules will be set by staff and communicated to the public in coming weeks.