CITY OF MURRIETA
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Field Use and Allocation Policy
1. DEFINITIONS
a. Advancement Program – Athletic programs that go beyond local recreation and competitive or travel ball formats. These programs have athletes move on to regional, state, or national programs with which the league may be affiliated.
b. Camps – Camps are for athletes and/or coaches who want to develop their athletic skills.
Outstanding instruction, skill development and intense competition prepare the athlete and/or coach for future athlete competition.
c. City – The City of Murrieta
d. City Sponsored Activity – Any program, either youth or adult, offered by the City to the public.
This includes, but is not limited to, adult softball and soccer, youth recreational classes, camps, and special events.
e. Competitive or Travel Youth Groups – A comp etitive or travel youth group is one where registration for a specific team or group is based upon competitive tryouts and registration is limited to a specific number of players or teams.
f. District – Murrieta Valley Unified School District
g. District Sponsored Activity – Any program offered by the District for educational purposes or for recreational activities.
h. Games – Organized, competitive events typically involving two teams within the same league and same division.
i. Good Standing – An organization th at has comp lied with all explicit obligations for a given season such as the timely submission of insurance, deposits, fees, rosters, and other field use requirements.
j. Inter-League Play – Games organized by one league division (e.g. Murrieta U16), with teams of another league (e.g. Temecula U16) in which each division plays against the same division from each other’s league.
k. League – Leagues are organizations that consist of a minimum of four (4) teams or four (4) or more separate divisions.
l. League Repre sentative – An individual designated by the League with authority to act and make decisions on behalf of the League.
m. Non-Resident League or Organization – A “non -resident” league or organization is one in which the resident participation does not meet at least eighty percent (80%) and/or the governing board does not consist of at least eighty percent (80%) Murrieta residents.
n. Resident League or Organization – A “resident” league or organization is one in which the resident participation in the league or organization is at least eighty percent (80%) and the governing board consists of at least eighty percent (80%) Murrieta residents.
o. Recreational Youth Group – A recreational youth group is one that has open registration to all
Field Use and Allocation Policy
City residents. All participants are al lowed to play and participate in organized play and practice and are not restricted by ability or skill level. Teams are typically formed in a manner that will allow for the creation of balanced teams and have a minimum play rule for all registe red individ uals. Each organization must be recognized as a 501(c)(3) Non -Profit group with a unique 501(c)(3) tax ID specific to the local chapter. All groups must show nonprofit status to be considered a Recreational Youth Group. Recreation leagues that have a compe titive or travel program within their organization may designate up to twenty percent (20%) of the league’s total teams as competitive or travel. Recreational teams must make up at least eighty percent (80%) of the league. Any league failing to have eighty percent (80%) of its teams playing in a recreational division will be re-classified to a Competitive or Travel Youth Group.
p. Sublease – The use of facilities by a second entity during dates or time s allocated to the original requestor without proper notification to the City.
q. Tournament – A series of games or contests that make up a single unit of competition outside the regular season of play, or an invitational event.
r. Training or Conditioning – The action or organized process of teaching a group of indi viduals a particular skill; preparing athletes for the demands of a particular sport.
2. ORDER OF PRIORITY FOR FIELD ALLOCATIONS
As part of the Joint Use Agreement (Agreement) between the City and the District, the schools designated in the Agreement become “parks” af ter 4:00 p.m. and on weekends , and the City has priority in use and scheduling, barring any after-school District activities. Accordingly, to help balance demand and ensure fair access with an emphasis toward the community’s youth, the order of priority for field allocations is as follows:
a. City
b. District
c. Resident Recreational Youth Groups
d. Resident Competitive or Travel Youth Groups
e. Resident Adult Groups Non-Resident Youth Groups
f. Non-Resident Adult Groups
Field allocations will be made p roportionately based on league registration and the number of fields available.
For purposes of example only, if Soccer League A has 750 participants registered, Soccer League B has 250 participants registered, and there are 20 soccer fields available, Lea gue A will be assigned 15 fields and League B will be assigned five (5) fields. Typically, field allocations are spread across the City to allow each league to have playing/practice fields close to everyone.
3. LEAGUE FORMATION
a. Any group looking to st art a new league utilizing City-allocated facilities will be considered a Non-Resident Organization for its first season of play when the City is allocating fields. After the first season’s official rosters have been received, City staff will apply appropr iate field use fees based on the organization ’s classification as stated in Section 2, above.
b. Due to the limited availability of facilities , the City will recognize a maximum of two (2) similar organizations in any sport. Requests for leagues of a particular sport that do not currently exist in the City will be permitted based on facility availability without impacting current Resident Recreational Organizations.
4. BI-ANNUAL FIELD ALLOCATION MEETINGS
Field Use and Allocation Policy
Twice each year, the City will hold field allocation meetings. At these meetings , vital field information will be reviewed, and any field closures will be announced. To be invited to either of the field meetings, a league or organization must be a Resident League or Organization, as stated above . Once a Resident League or Organization has met this requirement, it will be eligible to attend all fields meetings provided it (a) continues to meet all eligibility requirements, (b) that it owes no outstanding payments to the City, and (c) that all forms from the prior season have been submitted to the City (where applicable). Any new league or organization wishing to be considered a Resident League or Organization must submit a copy of its current list of registered players to the City at least one (1) week prior to the scheduled meeting . Staff will verify residency and , if all requirements are met, the league or organization will be eligible to attend the next scheduled fields meeting. Fields meetings are typically scheduled for the second week in January and July.
5. REQUIRED INFORMATION AND FORMS
a. Insurance – Any league or organization requesting use of City or District fields and facilities must provide the City with a co py of its insurance naming the City and the District as additional insureds.
Insurance policies are to have, at a minimum, general liability coverage of $1,000,000 and must be received and approved by the City before any use takes place. Staff cannot confirm reservations until the City receives proof of all required insurance policies.
b. Refundable Deposit - A $100 deposit for eac h City or District field or facility is required.
Leagues or organizations must submit a deposit to the City before any use takes place and before staff can confirm facilities.
At the end of the playing season , the City will refund the funds received for the general field deposits , provided that the group utilizing the requested facilities has not caused damage to the facilities , as determined by the City. If there has been damage, City, or its contractor, will repair any such damage and subtract the costs from the deposit; staff will refund any remaining portion to the respective league or organization. The group will be responsible for the cost of any damage to the facility which exceeds the amount of the depo sit. In addition, staff will subtract any outstanding fees owed to the City from the deposits and will then return the remaining sum , if any, to the league or organization.
Deposits for leagues in good standing can be reduced to $500 per season or remain at $100/field, whichever is less, at the discretion of the Field Allocation Supervisor.
c. Rosters and Fees
(1) Rosters - Before the first gam e, all Leagues and Organizations must submit to the City rosters for each in dividual team or cheerleading squad playing on either City or District facilities. The rosters must indicate the name and address of each participant . Staff will verify Resident/Non-Resident status. Non- Residents are those individuals who:
Live outside the limits of the City such as La Cre sta or other un incorporated Riverside County areas;
Have a P.O. Box as an address; or
Provide no address;
If there are any questions regarding an individual’s status, please contact the City and a staff member can help in making a determination.
For each Non-Resident, staff will assess a fee of $10. All Non-Residency fees are due once staff determines the total cost.
Field Use and Allocation Policy
(2) Field Use Fees – All Leagues and Organizations will be charged field use and/or team fees for each team in their league. Current fees are referenced in the City’s Fee Schedule, which is incorporated into this Policy by reference. A c opy if the current Fee Schedule will be provided to each League’s representative prior to the season. The Fee Schedule is also available on the City’s websi te:
www.MurrietaCA.gov.
(3) Residency Rate Allowance/Credit
Organizations that have their own facilities that they pay for and maintain within the City (i.e., Non-City or District facilities) will be granted a one percent (1%) residency rate allowance up to a maximum allowance of five percent (5%).
Organizations that offer a n accredited and nationally recognized advancement program that continues beyond mere recreation and competitive travel ball will be granted a three percent (3%) residency rate allowance.
Residency rate allowances have a total cap of five percent (5%).
d. Playing Schedules - The leagues and organizations must submit (for both City and District facilities) to the City copies of both practice and game schedules at least one (1) week before each respective start date. By submitting game and practice schedules ahead of time, the City can determine the schedules for mowing, trimming, fertilizing, stocking restrooms, etc. This will also enable the City to staff the parks and facilities accordingly.
City staff requests that each league or organization notify the City prior to any change to the playing schedule .
League and organization representatives should understand that last minute changes are difficult to arrange and confirm; however, when sudden changes do arise, staff will make every effort to accommodate the situation.
e. Practices - Team practice times will be allotted a maximum of two (2) hours per team per athletic field reservation.
6. FIELD USE AND OTHER FEES
a. Light Fees - The City shall grant each league with two access accounts for the control link website to schedule lights . Should leagues require field or court lighting for sites without remote access the league’s representative will need to submit a schedule to the City listing the days and times needed. Please submit this request at least one week before the first date requested. All light usage will be billed to the league by staff based on the current ly approved fees. Again, current fees are referenced in the City’s Fee Schedule, which is incorporated into this Policy by reference. A copy of the current Fee Schedule will be provided to each League’s representative prior to the season. The Fee Schedule is also available on the City’s website:
www.MurrietaCA.gov.
All official rosters are due by the first game. If rosters are not received by the second week of play , lights will not be turned on until they are received. Once games begin, any field/court with lights will be considered game facilities first until 10:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday evenings. Any league or organization assigned a field with lights and not using the lights for scheduled games shall notify the City, when possible, so that another league or organization may have the opportunity to schedule games a s needed. If no league or organization needs that field for games, then practices will be permitted on fields with lights . For purposes of fields with lighting, Resident League or Organization practices or games have priority over Non-Resident games.
b. Tournaments - Any league desiring to host tournaments outside of league play must submit a request and will be required to pay tournament fees. This is the only time in which two Non-Resident teams may
Field Use and Allocation Policy
play against each other on a City field. Tournaments will only be approved based upon availability of fields.
Tournament requests must be made at least thirty (30) days and not more than one (1) year in advance. The City will take into consideration typical season dates when requests are received by outside or ganizations.
Any tournament taking place during times reserved for recreational use must submit a reservation request and appropriate fee(s) will apply. Recreational league practices/games have priority over tournaments.
Please submit requests for tourn ament practices and games as soon as they become available to your league or organization. This will ensure that staff handles everything as accurately as possible for continuous play.
c. Field Use in General – Athletic play must take place on the appropr iate field, court, pitch, or area to maintain consistency in maintenance . If a particular field does not exist for a sport or should a league wish to use a field that is a -typical of that sport on a one -time basis (e.g. tournament play) , it shall be at the discretion of the Field Allocation Supervisor to designate a field for play.
Organized activities such as (but not limited to) practices, games, clinics, trainings, try -outs, fitness groups, boot camps, and classes are by permit only. Whether activities are for-profit or not, groups must acquire a field permit to host activities on a City allocated field. This includes local businesses, travel ball teams, and educational groups.
7. FIELD PREP AND MAINTENANCE
League and organization representatives must immediately contact and make the City aware of any situation that might be a liability for participants. Presently, the City waters and drags each baseball and softball field twice a week, at no cost to the leagues or organizations.
a. Field Painting - All field paint must be water -based, and a Material Safety Data Sheet must be on file with City. Any mixing, filling, or rinsing of paint must be done away from streams, creeks, and gutters , or should only be done on D ecomposed Granite paths on a tarp or other containment device. Wastewater must be disposed of properly and not allowed to flow down gutters, streams, or creeks. For any additional questions , or should there be a need to know a particular maintenance or mow schedule at a park , please call the Maintenance Division at (951) 461-6124.
b. Prep - Leagues and organizations may prep and chalk their own baseball and softball fields, provided the City receives written notification outlining the scope of work each league or organization intends to perform. Prep work on baseball and softball fields includes permitting leagues to bring their own equipment and material in order to rake or hand drag uneven areas as well as to chalk foul lines, coaches ’ boxes, on -deck circles, and pitching circles. Notice must be provided to staff at least two (2) weeks in advance on the request to use any motorized vehicle for field maintenance or game day prep . A schedule detailing dates and times for such activity must be submitted and subsequently approved by staff before l eagues can perform the maintenance for field prep. The City’s Maintenance Department will review requests from leagues and organizations to water the fields on an as -needed basis. Such requests must be in writing, listing the dates required.
Using chalk on turf areas is prohibited as it has a tendency to burn and destroy the turf. Staff will deduct any such damage from the refundable deposits.
If another league or organization has a field reserved immediately following any other league or organization , the first league or organization must keep the field prep uniform enough so that both leagues or organizations may use that field.
8. CONCESSIONS, CONCESSION STAND USE, AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES
Field Use and Allocation Policy
Every organization will have the ability to vend or to host a snack bar each season to serve as a fundrais ing opportunity, as long as the City requirements are met. All leagues and organizations must inform the City, in writing, of their intent to sell food or beverages at any site owned or maintained by the City before any such sales commence.
a. If an organization is requesting to host a snack bar at a facility where there is a n on-site concession building, the following requirements must be met:
(1) The organization must first acquire a temporary health permit from the Riverside County Health Department. City staff will provide a letter to the requesting organization, which grants permission to said organization to seek a health permit for the facility in question.
Riverside County Health Department
Murrieta Health Office
38740 Sky Canyon Drive, Building 8
Murrieta, CA 92562
Telephone: (951) 461-0284
(2) The organization must verify that its insurance will cover their usage of the snack bar and related activities. It is the sole responsibility of the organization to verify this information and provide proof of the same to the City prior to any sales of food or beverages.
(3) A signed copy of the City’s waiver, releasing the City from liability, must be returned to the City prior to any food or beverage sales.
(4) The orga nization must provide the City staff with a copy of their City of Murrieta Business License number and Seller’s Permit.
(5) The City will issue a key to the concession stand to the assigned league or organization. At no time should anything be permanently aff ixed to the walls of the concession stand without prior written approval from the City.
(6) All leagues and organizations assigned the use of a concession stand will be billed for the actual amount of electricity used. Invoices will coincide with the facility electric bill and will be based on kilowatt hours used.
(7) If awarded use of an on-site concession building, the requesting organization may not seek any additional food vendors to serve as a fundraising opportunity unless said organization is hosting a special event. Additional documentation is then needed, the details of which can be found on the application for reserving athletic fields.
(8) All leagues and organiza tions must clean and maintain the concession stand on a regular basis to ensure that its Health Department permit remains in good standing. The guidelin es for maintaining food preparation facilities can be found on the Riverside County’s Department of Environmental Health website at www.rivcoeh.org.
b. If there a re two (2) competing organizations present at a facility requesting use of an on-site, City-maintained concession building, City staff will grant permission to each league to the best of the City’s ability; however, concession buildings may not be suitable for two (2) competing organizations to operate out of during the same season due to equipment and building layouts. The competing organizations would split the concession building use with each organization occupying the concession stand for a season at a time. For
Field Use and Allocation Policy
example, Organization A operates the snack bar during the spring season and Organization B operates the snack bar during the fall season. During the season that an organization does not have access to the concession building , the organization wi ll be permitted to set -up a temporary snack bar on -site in a City approved location during game activities.
c. If an organization is requesting to host a snack bar at a facility where there is not a n on-site concession building, the following requirements need to be met:
(1) The organization will need to acquire a temporary health permit , even for vending pre - packaged items, from the Riverside County Health Department. City staff will provide a letter to the requesting organization granting permission to said organization to seek a health permit for the facility in question.
(2) There are two options:
i. The organization will be able to seek one (1) food vendor to serve as its snack bar for the entire season. If the organization is using an outside food vendor, it forfeits the opp ortunity for an additional snack bar that is hosted by the organization.
ii. The organization would be permitted to run a more limited concession area (outside of a permanent structure) providing all Heath Department guidelines are met.
(3) The organization will need to verify that its insurance will cover its usage of the snack bar activities, and it is the sole responsibility of the organization to verify this information. If the requesting organization is using an outside food vendor , the requesting organization must provide City staff with the food vendor’s insurance that meets the City’s requirements and a release agreement from the food vendor.
(4) A copy of the City’s waiver, releasing the City of Murrieta from liability, must be signed by authorized representatives of the organization and returned to the City prior to any food or beverage sales.
(5) The organization must provide City staff with a copy of its Murrieta Business License number and Seller’s Permit . If the requesting organization i s using an outside food vendor, then the requesting organization will need to provide City staff with a copy of the food vendor ’s City of Murrieta Business License number and Seller’s permit.
(6) The organization may only set-up a temporary snack -bar in a City approved location.
Failure to set up the snack bar in an approved location shall forfeit the league’s ability to host a snack bar for the remainder of the season.
c. Electricity for temporary snack bars must be provided by the requesting organization . Any equipment that will be brought on -site must be approved by City staff before final permission for said use is granted.
9. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
a. League and organization representatives must make their league or organization, and all those associated with their league or organization, aware of the rules, regulations, and guidelines that are listed on the back of the Athletic Field Reservation Request form.
b. Keep in mind that the parks, and the facilities within the parks, are designed for ev eryone’s enjoyment. Please ensure that the next user finds the area in good condition.
c. For the City to maintain the fields in the best possible condition, please rotate the more
Field Use and Allocation Policy
commonly used areas during practices.
d. Fields may be closed at the discret ion of the City or the District in the event of unforeseen maintenance situations or excessive rain. Staff will provide notification to league or organization representatives as soon as possible. For the latest on field conditions, please check the Field C ondition landing page on the City’s website at www.murrietaca.gov/502/field-conditions or call the Rainout Hotline at (951) 461-6101.
e. Please submit restroom requests for specific opening and closing times for tournaments, practices, and games as soon as they become available to your organization. This will ensure that staff handles everything as accurately as possible for continuous play.
f. Every attempt is made by City staff to open restrooms at Mapleton Park and Alta Murrieta Sports Park by 8:00 a.m., at Los Alamos Hills Sports Park, California Oaks Sports Park and Copper Canyon Park by 7:00 a.m., and at Mira Mosa Park by 8:30 a.m. on weekends.