CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
MINUTES OF THE
BEACHES, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2025, 6:00 P.M.
Chair Johnson called the Special Meeting of the Beaches, Parks, and Recreation Commission of the City of San Clemente to order on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 6:01 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, located at 910 Calle Negocio, 2nd Floor, San Clemente, CA. Vice Chair Garcia led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PRESENT Garcia, Haskins, Johnson, McCanne, Schmitt
ABSENT Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, Van Nort
STAFF PRESENT Samantha Wylie, Beaches, Parks & Recreation Director
1. OLD BUSINESS
A. Consideration of Cost Recovery for Beaches, Parks & Recreation Services, Amending the Department Fee Schedule, and Establishing a Cost Recovery Policy Director of Beaches, Parks, and Recreation Wylie reported that staff met with the Subcommittee to gather input on aquatics fees and engaged with the San Clemente Aquatics Team and Water Polo representatives for stakeholder feedback. Director Wylie reviewed with the Commission the specific aquatic fees that have changed since the last meeting.
Amanda Piwanka, President of San Clemente Aquatics Team, stated that a $12 per-lane fee would be more manageable but still represents a $20,000 increase and emphasized that any fee increase should be reasonable and predictable.
Mark Matheson, a San Clemente resident and board member, proposed that the Commission consider an annual cap on fee increases of 5–10% to make increases more predictable.
Lori Lin, a San Clemente resident, expressed concern over the increase in a specific fee category and suggested that additional costs could be spread across other categories to reduce the impact.
Michael Long, a San Clemente resident, noted that their children participate in the San Clemente Aquatics Team and stated that proposed fee increases would directly affect their family’s ability to continue participation.
Andrew Salway, a Capistrano Beach resident, expressed concern that significant fee increases could negatively impact families’ ability to participate in water polo and swim programs. He supported staffrecommended Tier 1 fee adjustments.
Cady Anderson, a San Clemente resident, expressed concern that steep, immediate fee increases could price children out of aquatics programs and suggested phasing in increases gradually. &
Beaches, Parks, and Special Meeting October 28, 2025
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Shelli La Plante, a San Clemente resident, expressed concerns that the cost recovery policy draft is too vague, inconsistent, not transparent, and recommended that the current drafts not be accepted until revised to ensure fairness, consistency, and clarity in cost recovery.
Anissa Bromley, a San Clemente resident, expressed concern that the per-lane fee model disproportionately impacts water polo families and requested equitable fees aligned with community benefit and cost recovery.
Julie Defabrique, a San Clemente resident, noted that sharp fee increases could drive away longterm coaches and burden families, recommending a phased implementation.
Michael Snow, a San Clemente resident, urged gradual annual fee adjustments instead of a single large increase.
Elyse Edler Snipes, a San Clemente resident, supported classifying water polo as a community benefit program and maintaining partnership status with equitable fee adjustments.
Jason York, a San Clemente resident and the head coach of the SCAT, shared the SCAT program’s mission to foster youth growth and teamwork in San Clemente.
Fabia Borsic, a San Clemente resident, stated that local youth discounts are minimal compared to other cities offering significantly lower rates.
Christopher Logan Powell, a San Clemente resident and representing the San Clemente Water Polo Club, noted that per-lane fees make water polo about 300% costlier than field sports and requested continued subsidy and expanded pool hours.
Thomas Dollar, a San Clemente Resident, emphasized affordable aquatics as essential for sustaining participation and lifeguard development.
Shannon Mills, a San Clemente resident, highlighted the Water Polo Club’s community value and requested fee equity with field sports and the highest subsidy level.
RC Mills, a San Clemente resident, shared a video presentation without sound.
Cameron Mills, a San Clemente resident, requested a 90% subsidy for water polo, citing strong community benefit and athletic success.
Yann Defabrique expressed that raising fees should align with service quality and inflation, advocating for gradual, fair adjustments.
Commissioners, either individually or as a group, discussed the following:
• SCAT and Water Polo are considered Tier 1 Partners.
• Phased approach for the fee increases and annual cap. • Staff costs and maintenance costs.
• Staffing shortages impacting pool operations.
• The current per-lane fee structure.
• Total revenue that comes from SCAT and Water Polo.
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Motion by Vice Chair Garcia, seconded by Commissioner McCanne, CARRIED 5-0, Commissioners Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, and Van Nort absent, to amend the proposed cost for the 25-yard and the 50-meter hourly lane rentals to be a 10% increase from current rates.
AYE: Garcia, Haskins, Johnson, McCanne, Schmitt
NOE: None
Motion by Vice Chair Garcia, seconded by Commissioner Haskins, CARRIED 5-0, Commissioners Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, and Van Nort absent, to accept the staff recommendation as written with the amendments to item two to reflect the prior motion for the increase.
AYE: Garcia, Haskins, Johnson, McCanne, Schmitt
NOE: None
Motion by Vice Chair Garcia, seconded by Commissioner McCanne, CARRIED 5-0, Commissioners Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, and Van Nort absent, to establish a subcommittee to review the Aquatics Partnership Policy to have ready for the next meeting in December.
The Subcommittee will include Vice Chair Garcia, Commissioners Haskins, McCanne, and Schmitt.
AYE: Garcia, Haskins, Johnson, McCanne, Schmitt
NOE: None
Motion by Commissioner Haskins, seconded by Vice Chair Garcia, CARRIED 5-0, Commissioners Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, and Van Nort absent, to agendize the process of reserving lap lanes to the next regular meeting in December.
2. ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Vice Chair Garcia, seconded by Commissioner Schmitt, CARRIED 5-0, Commissioners Dolegoweski, Grace, Kahn, and Van Nort absent, to adjourn at 7:40 p.m. to an adjourned regular meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, located at 910 Calle Negocio, 2nd Floor, San Clemente, CA.
Beaches, Parks & Recreation Commission Beaches, Parks & Recreation Director Chairperson