Riverplace to start charging hiking fees to non-residents starting early March (Howe: HOA fees, credit card)

[cBach]

In the latest Four Points newspaper it was announced that Riverplace approved the hiring of people to check IDs at the entrance to its trails starting March 1st. Residents can hike for free but non-residents will have to pay $10 per person. Cash will not be accepted, they will only have a credit card swiping machine because they don't want the ID checkers to get robbed.

This was in response to a lot of people telling REI and other stores that the best hiking trails are in RP. It's also on google maps and other places it never should've been. They have been discussing this but now it will occur. They started talking about this in October 2018 and it's only gotten worse. There are tourists from the coasts going there to hike.

Thoughts?

[DMChicago]

I love those trails but don't live in RP. So I kinda get it.

However, $10 bucks a person is pretty high. I'm sure it will have the intended result, tho.

[CarnivalGal]

We live in Steiner Ranch and used to go to the RP trails to hike a lot, since it's so close. I don't like the fee, but I completely understand it. Part of the reason we stopped going is because it was just ridiculously crowded. A lot of the trails are pretty narrow, so it's hard to navigate around slower hikers, children, etc. Can't say that I blame them for trying to thin those numbers.

[mike47946]

The past way of paying for trails happened from property taxes and this new fee will help them to take proper care of trails. It can be bit breathtaking but still, we get updated to new changes in riverplace.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by mike47946

The past way of paying for trails happened from property taxes and this new fee will help them to take proper care of trails. It can be bit breathtaking but still, we get updated to new changes in riverplace.

I assumed they were maintained via HOA fees. What taxing entity could add a property tax and direct it to the trails?

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I assumed they were maintained via HOA fees. What taxing entity could add a property tax and direct it to the trails?

Yes they are maintained via HOA. However because of all the non-residents, the trails have been suffering from erosion. This extra money will help fund the restoration of the trails caused by the non-residents.

It will also greatly cut back on the visitors.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by cBach

Yes they are maintained via HOA. However because of all the non-residents, the trails have been suffering from erosion. This extra money will help fund the restoration of the trails caused by the non-residents.

It will also greatly cut back on the visitors.

*shrug* Makes sense, don't know why it would really be an issue to charge. It isn't like HOA's don't limit access to their pools and such, as well.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scissor_chavez

They also need to cover taxes. The assessment on that parcel owned by Riverplace MUD went from 500K to 2.5M in 2018.

10K in taxes went up to 50K.

That hurts.

they should put a conservation easement on it. That would lower the value to nothing.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

*shrug* Makes sense, don't know why it would really be an issue to charge. It isn't like HOA's don't limit access to their pools and such, as well.

In Steiner when you want to go to the Bella Mar pool they check you're a resident but it's easier because there is a gate.

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.

[neddy]

Makes sense to me..