Riverplace to start charging hiking fees to non-residents starting early March (Austin: upkeep, live)

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by cBach

[...]
For the trails in Riverplace there are basically 3 main trail entrances and there will be staff at each of those entrances collecting fees. It will start on the weekends Fri - Sun but may be expanded.

The risk here is that it costs more to police the users than they make in revenue. You would lower the number of users, of course, if that is really the goal and that might be worth the cost. Are they going to pay the gatekeepers? Who is the keymaster?

And do they meet the 'no trespassing' signage requirements to prevent people from (legally) accessing the trail via alternative routes?

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

The risk here is that it costs more to police the users than they make in revenue. You would lower the number of users, of course, if that is really the goal and that might be worth the cost. Are they going to pay the gatekeepers? Who is the keymaster?

And do they meet the 'no trespassing' signage requirements to prevent people from (legally) accessing the trail via alternative routes?

Each Riverplace resident is being asked to fill in a form to get a "trail badge" which you'll be required to show to hike the trail. If you don't have a trail badge then you'll have to swipe your card for $10.

The people collecting the fees will either be paid minimum wage (probably high school students that want to earn extra money if they can't find volunteers) or be volunteers but they are leaning towards getting volunteers. Right now there are many people that are willing to volunteer and even more willing to "police" the trails. The volunteers policing the trails would simply tell the people that they must enter at a certain spot and pay the fee.

I imagine they'll make it uncomfortable enough for non-residents to dissuade them from illegally entering at invalid access points.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Seriously? 10 bucks to walk a trail? People "policing" the entrances? "Badges"? lol Good god. wth Money talks, BS walks I guess.

Just more of that "Texas friendly" eh?

Maybe they'll set up some bear traps for those pesky "non-residents" so they can't find a way in that isn't an entrance.


OK, maybe there is more to the story. I can be such a hypocrite. Are the people that live in the HOA all quiet and don't overuse the trail? Are the "non-residents" coming in there to make lot's of noise in an otherwise tranquil setting? Are they creating meth labs in the woods, dragging couches and kitchen sinks to make a house? Could the erosion be from the torrential rains we get and not because the trail is overused?

Anyway...maybe I just don't know the whole story so I shouldn't judge right away...but I do. I'm the first to point the finger at the person at our local pond trail that let's their pet crap on the trail. Maybe the "non-residents" are bringing their dogs and letting them crap all over.

[Trainwreck20]

I think the difference is that the RP trail is completely private property. Your local pond trail is likely city or otherwise public property and maintained by city taxes (which presumably most users pay). The RP situation is very analogous to an HOA pool - the citizens pay for it with their HOA does but don't allow other people to use it because they did not pay for it.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Seriously? 10 bucks to walk a trail? People "policing" the entrances? "Badges"? lol Good god. wth Money talks, BS walks I guess.

Just more of that "Texas friendly" eh?

Maybe they'll set up some bear traps for those pesky "non-residents" so they can't find a way in that isn't an entrance.


OK, maybe there is more to the story. I can be such a hypocrite. Are the people that live in the HOA all quiet and don't overuse the trail? Are the "non-residents" coming in there to make lot's of noise in an otherwise tranquil setting? Are they creating meth labs in the woods, dragging couches and kitchen sinks to make a house? Could the erosion be from the torrential rains we get and not because the trail is overused?

Anyway...maybe I just don't know the whole story so I shouldn't judge right away...but I do. I'm the first to point the finger at the person at our local pond trail that let's their pet crap on the trail. Maybe the "non-residents" are bringing their dogs and letting them crap all over.

This was a very hilarious post wow I couldn't contain my laughter.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Seriously? 10 bucks to walk a trail? People "policing" the entrances? "Badges"? lol Good god. wth Money talks, BS walks I guess.

Just more of that "Texas friendly" eh?

Maybe they'll set up some bear traps for those pesky "non-residents" so they can't find a way in that isn't an entrance.


OK, maybe there is more to the story. I can be such a hypocrite. Are the people that live in the HOA all quiet and don't overuse the trail? Are the "non-residents" coming in there to make lot's of noise in an otherwise tranquil setting? Are they creating meth labs in the woods, dragging couches and kitchen sinks to make a house? Could the erosion be from the torrential rains we get and not because the trail is overused?

Anyway...maybe I just don't know the whole story so I shouldn't judge right away...but I do. I'm the first to point the finger at the person at our local pond trail that let's their pet crap on the trail. Maybe the "non-residents" are bringing their dogs and letting them crap all over.

Have you been on those trails? Cars parked at the entrances as far as the eye can see, actually that creates a huge problem too. Most of the people using the trails are non-residents. Aside from the parking situation, the trails are just ridiculously crowded - the most crowded hiking trail I've been to in the Austin area. And I've been to most. If I lived there, I would welcome this fee and hope it cuts back the numbers. I would happily volunteer to enforce it too.

And as was mentioned, this isn't public land.

[cBach]

It's odd, tons of people at RP trails but hardly ever any on the Steiner trails.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

"Build a wall"!

[CalTex Ranger]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

"Build a wall"!

Apparently, you missed the part that it’s not public land. Residents of the HOA pay for the property, including repairs and cleanup. You being flippant about it doesn’t change the fact that overuse has significantly degraded an amenity that they’ve paid for.

Had you ever actually walked on that trail, you’d understand. If you were in their shoes, you certainly would. A good friend of mine lives there and we’ve both gone out a number of times and filled 55 gal garbage bags with trash left behind by others.

[riaelise]

The problem is that out-of-area people behave like asshats and deface/degrade the property. In reality, the private owners making the amenity available to the public is a gesture of goodwill, not an entitlement. We have such a problem where we live. There's a water reservoir that's city owned, but the land fronting it is privately owned. One of the owners is a golf course clubhouse. The golf course clubhouse has allowed unimpeded access to the water since the public enjoys fishing, boating, etc. Instead of being thankful and cleaning up after themselves, people have thrown trash about, defaced things, etc. and as a result the owners are contemplating closing access to the public, which is a real shame.

Very aggravating.