Subject: Competitive Youth Aquatic Sports Partnerships
Index: Recreational Facilities & Programs
Number: 702-9
Effective Date:
Prepared By: Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department
Supersedes: N/A
Approved By:
Policy And Procedure
PURPOSE:
It is the purpose of this Policy to set forth and make clear the requirements and criteria for competitive youth aquatic sports partnerships between the City and any organization/association (hereinafter “Applicant”) intending to provide competitive aquatic sports programming opportunities to the youth of San Clemente. It also outlines the process for requesting reduced rental fees for the permitted use of municipal pools. Due to the limited number of aquatic facilities, the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department has established criteria for priority use to ensure fair and equitable distribution of pool space among all user groups ORGANIZATION AFFECTED:
Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department
REFERENCES:
San Clemente Municipal Code: Section 12.28.010 Use of Designated City-Owned Facilities POLICY:
The City desires to encourage and promote youth aquatic sports on a year-round basis within the city limits, and to make the best and most efficient use of the City’s amenities and aquatic facilities. Partnering with select outside organizations/associations for competitive aquatic sports programs allows service to a larger portion of the community than only City-provided programs. The benefit of the sports partnership is to:
Provide reduced rental rates for practices and competitions; Provide aquatic allocation priorities based on program type, tier level, and seasonal demand; and limited City-provided support services, which may include staffing, equipment use, and set-up assistance as needed.
The objective of this policy is to create clear written allocation procedures, policies, and guidelines that:
Fairly distribute available municipal pool space.
Maximize equitable access to swim time for all qualifying youth aquatic programs.
Incorporate routine facility maintenance periods to ensure safe, high-quality pool conditions.
Outline pool use and safety regulations for all partner organizations.
Communicate financial requirements, cost recovery procedures, and fee reduction eligibility.
A partnership agreement made pursuant to this policy shall be known as a “Youth Aquatic Partnership”, will carry the additional designation of Tier I, Tier II, or Tier III, as defined by the City. All partnerships are subject to the requirements set forth herein and any additions, amendments, or revisions hereto. Due to limited facility availability, only a select number of Youth Aquatic Partnerships will be approved to provide competitive aquatic sports representing the standard prevalent sports, as determined by the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission, and the City Council.
PROCEDURE:
Minimum Requirements and Criteria for Youth Aquatic Partnership The Applicant must meet the following minimum requirements and criteria for any Youth Aquatic partnership:
Be currently registered and active with the State of California as a not-for-profit community organization under Section 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Not be the subject of any pending investigation by any government or administrative agency, whether at the City, County, State, or Federal level, and have a demonstrated history of adherence to City rules, policies, and allocations.
Carry appropriate commercial and liability insurance with limits no less than the amount determined by the City per incident, including appropriate additional insured endorsements in favor of the City.
Demonstrated ability and willingness to contribute player fee per participant annually as outlined in Section 5.3.
Organization must have an open enrollment policy, provided the participant meets the minimum age and swim proficiency requirements as determined by the City.
Demonstrated scholarships provided for those in financial need. See Section 5.1.4 for additional details.
Maintain current organizational policies prohibiting discrimination, alcohol use, and illegal substances.
In addition, the Applicant must qualify for one of the three levels of partnership detailed below:
Tier I: The Applicant must have provided the sports program within the City of San Clemente for at least five years, and currently have at least 300 participants annually, 88% of whom reside in the City.
Tier II: The Applicant must have provided the sports program within the City of San Clemente for at least three years, and currently have at least 200 participants annually, 85% of whom reside in the City.
Tier III: The Applicant must have provided the sports program within the City of San Clemente for at least two years, and currently have at least 100 participants annually, 70% of whom reside in the City.
Appeals and/or exceptions shall be reviewed at the discretion of the Beaches, Parks & Recreation Director, or their designee, to the minimum requirements provided for in Section 5.1.2 (a) – (c). Any exceptions shall be reviewed by the Department and forwarded to the Commission and Council for final recommendation.
Organization Scholarship Program.
Youth Aquatic Partnership Organizations shall offer and maintain a scholarship program that provides relief for San Clemente households who demonstrate financial hardship.
The Scholarship Program shall provide financial relief towards registration fees, at a minimum, for 2% of the total number of annual participants.
Requirements for financial hardship are to be determined at the discretion of the organization.
Process for Evaluating Application for Partnership Status All requests for Youth Aquatic Partnership shall be submitted first to the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department (hereinafter “Department”). Applications will be accepted once per year at a time determined by the City and will be reviewed and approved in alignment with the aquatic facility scheduling process for the upcoming year. The annual review process is as follows:
Youth Aquatic Partner Application Schedule
Annual Review Process
Application Period
August 1-31
Applications Due
August 31
Administrative Review to Determine Eligibility
September 1-30
BPR Commission Review & Approval of Qualifying Applicants October
(2nd Tuesday)
City Council Review for Finalizing & Adopting Agreements November
(1st Tuesday)
Youth Aquatic Partnership Status Starts
January 1
The Applicant shall include in their packet the completed Youth Aquatic Partnership Application Form and all required supporting documentation. Incomplete application packets may not be reviewed by the City. The application packet must include, but is not limited to:
City Youth Aquatic Partnership Application;
Proof of current 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) status;
Commercial and liability insurance declaration pages;
Applicant articles, bylaws, and other charter documents; Proof sufficient to establish the financial hardship requirement, including the required budget form and two years of tax returns, profit/loss statements, audited financial statements, and balance statements; Statistical data and rosters of the most recent calendar year to support annual participant totals and residency requirements for Youth Aquatic Partnerships. Refer to the “Resident” definition in Section 6.0.
Participant Rosters: All rosters must be submitted as an Excel file and must be submitted electronically. This information will be used to establish the group's residency percentage. Any participant listed on the roster with incomplete information or a P.O. Box will be considered a non-resident.
Rosters may not include participants over the age of 18 who are not actively enrolled in school through the high school level, or participants from recreational aquatic programs. Only participants meeting the competitive aquatic sports definition may be included. Refer to “Recreation” and “Competitive” definitions in Section 6.0.
Minimum participation requirement for roster eligibility: To be eligible for inclusion on a Youth Aquatic Partnership roster, each participant must have been actively enrolled and participated in the organization’s competitive aquatic programming for a minimum of three consecutive months or one full quarter within the calendar year.
The following information is required from each group roster to evaluate the level of partnership:
Participant Name
Street Address, City, Zip code
Age
Male/Female
Name of School Participant is enrolled
Email Address
Phone number
Organizations that meet the minimum requirements as stated in this policy shall be forwarded for review to the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission (hereinafter “Commission”).
Commission shall review the application packet, the Department staff report, and any additional information provided by the Applicant or others. Commission may consider whether the Applicant has satisfied the minimum requirements outlined in Section 5.1, whether a partnership is warranted in light of the policies and purposes outlined in Section 4, and whether a partnership is in the best interests of the City and its residents. In making its recommendation to the City, the Commission may also consider whether Applicant deserves partnership, or a particular level of partnership, notwithstanding the requirements outlined in Section 5.1.2.
If the Commission recommends to the City Council disapproval of the request for Youth Aquatic Partnership, or any specified level of partnership, the Commission shall briefly include in the Minutes the reasons therefore. City Council shall make the final determination.
Aquatic Facility Use Discounts and Fees
All Organizations are responsible for paying pool use fees and applicable lifeguard, light, or facility maintenance fees. Youth Aquatic Partner Organizations will be eligible for the following discounts:
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Pool Rates (Hourly)
60%
55%
40%
Competition/Tournaments
60%
Off-peak season only (Oct-Apr)
55%
Off-peak season only
(Oct-Apr)
40%
Off-peak season only
(Oct-Apr)
No discount applicable for: Light Fees, Lifeguard Fees, Cabanas, Sound Amplification, or Janitorial Fees Youth Aquatic Partnership discounts apply only to approved competitive aquatic sports programming. Discounts do not apply to recreational aquatic programming, including but not limited to private lessons, seasonal feeder programs, or lesson-based programming, as determined by the City’s Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department.
Youth Aquatic Partners shall pay an annual pool maintenance fee of $5 per participant, based on the previous year’s total annual rosters.
Fees are due on the first of each month. Organizations that are in default by more than 15 days will be charged a late payment fee of 10% on all outstanding facility reservation fees. Organizations in default for more than 30 days will be charged the standard (non-discounted) rental rate for all current charges, and any Youth Aquatic Partnership and/or applicable discounts will be suspended until the account is paid in full.
All facility rental fees will be based on an approved Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department Fee Schedule, which is adopted and approved by the City Council. Youth Aquatic Partners will receive discounted rates based on the approved facility rental rate in place at the time of the rental.
Aquatic Facility Allocation Process
Each Organization shall submit an Aquatic Facility Rental Application quarterly, in accordance with the schedule established by the Department. In addition, an annual participant roster from the previous calendar year must be submitted by September 1 each year. Organizations missing these deadlines will be allocated any remaining pool space on an “as available” basis only. All organized play, including team practices, coaching sessions, and structured aquatic training, must be scheduled in advance through the facility rental process.
Fall Allocation
Due April 15
Winter Allocation
Due August 15
Spring Allocation
Due November 15
Summer Allocation
Due January 15
The City allocates and prioritizes facility use based on the following criteria:
Recreation activities sponsored or conducted by the City of San Clemente.
Youth Aquatic Partner Organizations, with priority given to Organizations in Tier I, followed by Tier II, and Tier III.
Not-for-profit organizations or individuals that are established as frequent renters.
Commercial entities or organizations located in San Clemente Commercial entities or organizations not located in San Clemente If two or more organizations fall equally within the same Tier level, the City will consider additional criteria when determining how to allocate limited aquatic facility space. Factors may include, but are not limited to:
Size of the organization’s partnership group / Size of the group at the time of the rental.
Resident percentage of user group.
Number of hours requested / Total use requested.
Partnership group’s performance history, including adherence to policies and responsiveness to prior allocations.
Whether the request supports aligns with the sport’s primary season period versus out-of-season programming.
Whether the request supports the organization’s primary partnership program (competitive team) or secondary programming (recreational programming, clinics, or development tracks).
Minimum In-Water Participant Standards by Program Type To ensure pool space is allocated responsibly during peak hours and in accordance with public programming needs, all organized aquatic uses must meet minimum in-water participation requirements. These are determined by program type:
Competitive Swim Training: minimum of 3 swimmers per lane (short course) and 6 swimmers per lane (long course).
Water Polo: Minimum of 8 participants per half-court use (4 lanes in width), and a minimum of 14 participants is required for full-court use (6-8 lanes in width).
Artistic Swimming: A minimum of 6 participants is required for each training block (3 lanes in width).
Diving: A minimum of 2-3 divers per diving board is required per scheduled training block. The diving area will be allocated a minimum of 3 lanes in width to establish a designated dive well over the 14-foot depth of the pool. Diving space is not shared with lane-based programming and must remain clear for safety during use.
Annual participant counts are calculated based on the total number of unduplicated individuals enrolled over the course of the calendar year. These counts do not reflect the number of athletes present during any one practice or season. Lane requests should reflect actual in-water use patterns and adhere to the minimum in-water participant standards.
Subleasing and Unauthorized Use Prohibited
Youth Aquatic Partners may not sublease, trade, or transfer their allocated pool time to any other organization or user group. All permitted time must be used exclusively by the approved organization, program, or user group. All permitted time must be used exclusively by the approved organization listed on the renal permit. Any such unauthorized sharing of time, whether compensated or not, is strictly prohibited and may result in the loss of partnership status or future allocation privileges.
Non-Use of Allocated Pool Time
It is City policy that user Organizations return an unused pool time for reallocation. An organization that has been allocated pool space and does not intend to use it regularly must notify the City so that the lanes may be reallocated or otherwise used. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of allocated lanes for the remainder of the allocation period. Additionally, the City requests that all organizations request only the lane space necessary for their program needs and avoid overbooking. If the City determines, at its sole discretion, that an organization has consistently overbooked lane space without correction or advanced notice, the City reserves the right to unilaterally adjust current or future lane allocations to ensure fair and efficient use of municipal aquatic facilities.
Organizations must notify the City of any known non-use time as soon as possible, and no later than 14 days before the unused time, to allow for re-allocation. Repeated failure to report unused time may result in reduced future allocations.
Unless written notice is received, an organization will be billed for all allocated pool time at the applicable regular rental rate. Facility use fees will not be retroactively adjusted.
All pool hours returned to the City for reasons of non-use will be reallocated to other interested organizations.
Exceptions to this policy will be made on a case-by-case basis, only with prior written notification to City staff regarding special circumstances.
Violations of Youth Aquatic Partnership
The City utilizes a “three-strike” policy for violations of the Youth Aquatic Partnership Agreement. The following penalties shall be imposed when Youth Aquatic Partners fail to comply with the requirements set forth in this policy. Offenses will be tracked by calendar year unless otherwise stated in written warnings.
First Offense: Verbal warning with written memo notifying of the violation; if the situation is resolved, no further action is taken.
Second Offense: Written warning. A representative of the City, as determined by the Director, shall also meet with the offending coach (if applicable), the Organization President, and at least one other member of the Board of Directors.
Third Offense: Minimum penalty is a 10% reduction in allocated pool time for the following quarter; maximum penalty is revocation of Youth Aquatic Partnership status for the upcoming calendar year. The specific penalty shall be determined by the Director based on the severity and frequency of the violations. Once the penalty period has concluded, the organization may reapply for aquatic facility use and Youth Aquatic Partner status for their next season.
Appeal process: Appeals shall be submitted to the Director within 10 days of the penalty notice. Appeals shall be forwarded to the Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission for discussion. The Commission’s decision is final.
Violation examples include, but are not limited to:
Submitting false documents to the City, including but not limited to the falsification of rosters and proof of residency, or swimmer eligibility.
Use of pool space that has been closed due to inclement weather, water quality, safety, or maintenance without City authorization.
Conducting organized play or using aquatic facilities outside of permitted hours or beyond the boundaries of the reserved pool space, including adjacent areas such as deck space, grassy areas, or other City property, without prior written authorization stated in the rental permit.
Subletting, loaning, or trading allocated pool time with other groups or organizations without prior written City approval. Refer to “Subleasing and Unauthorized Use” Section 5.6.
Failure to return unused or unscheduled pool hours to the City for reallocation Parking vehicles outside of designated parking areas or driving onto City property (including pool decks, walkways, or turf areas) without prior written permission explicitly stated on the permit.
City reserves the right to cancel or suspend aquatic facility permits for competitions, practices, and other usages based upon user groups violating the City Municipal Code or any terms of the Youth Aquatic Partnership Agreement.
The Beaches, Parks & Recreation Commission ultimately determines continued partnership eligibility and membership. Failure to comply with the requirements and responsibilities listed will result in the Commission reevaluating or revoking the organization’s status.
Youth Aquatic Partnership Expectations and Longevity
All Youth Aquatic Partners shall adhere to all the policies and procedures of the City, and cooperate fully with the Department and City staff to ensure that the purpose of the partnership is met. Youth Aquatic Partners shall provide City representatives with access at all times to review or monitor the sports program. Youth Aquatic Partners shall not discriminate against its employees, volunteers, or participants on account of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender (except where gender is a bona fide requirement of the program).
Applicant and all participants, parents, spectators, coaches, and volunteers agree to abide by the City Participant Code of Conduct: All individuals shall act respectfully towards others, respect their privacy and personal safety, and comply with municipal pool rules and regulations. Physical or verbal abuse of any kind will not be tolerated. All persons shall treat public and private property and equipment with respect. Program rules and regulations shall be observed at all times. The RS Partner maintains responsibility for all of its coaches, volunteers, agents, parents, spectators, and players affiliated with the organization.
The City may, at any time, temporarily suspend or revoke Youth Aquatic Partnership status and forward it to the Commission and/or the City Council for reconsideration of partnership status and/or eligibility.
The City Council may, at any time, and without cause, suspend or revoke an Applicant’s Youth Aquatic Partnership status and/or eligibility.
Usage must be made within the allotted permit time, which must include set up and breakdown. All organizations must strictly adhere to their approved schedules. If a permitted lane is left unoccupied for more than 10 minutes beyond the scheduled start time listed on the permit, the lane may be released to public lap swim or re-allocated for the remainder of that individual lane rental period. The organization will still be charged for the full rental time, and no refunds or credits will be issued.
The City Council may grant the Department and/or Commission authority to extend Aquatic Youth Partnerships for a period of time up to five years if doing so would be in the best interests of the City, its residents, and the Applicant.
Youth Aquatic Partnership agreements will be issued for an initial one-year term, with the possibility of four additional one-year extensions, not to exceed a total of five consecutive years. Extensions will be granted based on the organization’s continued compliance with residency requirements, participant eligibility, and overall program performance as outlined in this policy.
DEFINITIONS:
“City”: The City of San Clemente and/or the City Beaches, Parks & Recreation Department, as appropriate. “Competitive Aquatic Sports”: A competitive program is designed for participants who have already met the foundational level of proficiency in swimming or aquatic sport performance. These programs focus on refining technique, enhancing endurance, and developing advanced skills for competition, rather than teaching basic skills. Participants are expected to perform at a higher level, and coaches or instructors are not required to be in the water with athletes during practice. Competitive programs may involve time standards, tryouts, or other qualifying criteria for participation, and they typically prepare athletes for meets, tournaments, or events sanctioned by local, regional, or national governing bodies. “Frequent Renter”: An Organization or individual who rents aquatic facility space from the City more than 4 times per quarter. “Non-Profit”: Organizations must meet all criteria as identified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The organization must submit a Letter of Determination or Letter of Affirmation from the IRS that indicates non-profit 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) status. The organization must maintain current non-profit 501(c)(3) or (c)(4) status for the duration of the allocated Aquatic Facility Use Permit. “Organization”: Those Organizations that have submitted all required documentation to the City and have been awarded Youth Aquatic partnership status in Tier I to III. “Organized Play”: Two or more persons engaging in a structured or competitive athletic aquatic activity, skill development, training session, or coaching, including but not limited to swimming, water polo, diving, or artistic swimming. “Participant”: Individuals who are fully registered with the Member Organization. Non-players such as coaches, officials, and staff shall not be considered Participants. “Primary Season”: For the purposes of this policy, “Primary Season” refers to the period during which an aquatic sport is most active in terms of training intensity, sanctioned competitions, and facility demand. While many aquatic clubs operate year-round, the City uses defined primary seasons to assist with facility allocation, scheduling prioritization, and Youth Aquatic Partnership evaluations. The sport in season will have priority for allocations. The following are recognized Primary Seasons for competitive aquatic programming: Competitive Swimming: Short Course Season (September-March) and Long Course Season (April-August); Water Polo: Boys Season (August-October) and Girls Season (November-January); Diving (February-July); Artistic Swimming (January-May). “Primary Program: This program serves the primary purpose of the club and should be considered first if space is limited. “Resident”: Persons with primary residency within the boundaries of the City of San Clemente. Upon submission of the Application, rosters must include each participant’s name, address, age, male/female, name of school the participant is enrolled in, email address, and phone number. For each San Clemente resident, a copy of a current utility bill (trash, water, gas, or electric) no more than three (3) months old must be submitted. Upon request, photo identification is required. The City reserves the right to conduct random audits to establish residency. Active-duty military personnel and their dependents living on a military base will be considered residents for Youth Aquatic Partnership rosters. These individuals must provide a base address, active-duty military orders, and a valid military ID to verify residency eligibility. “Recreational Aquatic Programming”: Includes entry-level, skill-building, and non-competitive aquatic activities designed for general development, safety, fitness, or enjoyment. This category encompasses, but is not limited to, private lessons, seasonal “feeder” programs, and lesson-based instructional sessions that focus on teaching fundamental skills, water safety, or introductory sport techniques. Participants in recreational aquatic programs typically require direct instruction, and instructors or coaches are often required to be in the water to provide hands-on support and supervision. These programs are structured around learning objectives, not performance standards, and are not intended to prepare participants for immediate competitive participation. Programs defined under Recreational Aquatic Programming are not eligible for Youth Aquatic Partnership discounts. “Secondary Program”: This program supports the mission of the club and should be considered second in priority to the Primary Program if requested space is limited. “Youth Status”: Persons 18 years of age or younger at the start of the applicable quarter who are actively enrolled in school through the high school level. His includes individuals who are 18 but have not yet graduated and are still attending high school or an equivalent educational program.
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