To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Bert Whitaker 565-3351, Meda Freedman 565-2275
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Parking Pass Partnership with Sonoma County Libraries
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Review and approve a proposal to increase the number of Regional Parks parking passes available for check out at local libraries.
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Executive Summary:
Regional Parks proposes expanding its successful park pass pilot program that allows Sonoma County library cardholders to check out vehicle entry hangtags. By increasing the number of available parking hangtags, Regional Parks aims to eliminate long wait times for library cardholders and ensure that financial barriers do not prevent residents from accessing the County’s parks.
Discussion:
Sonoma County Regional Parks maintains a pilot partnership with the Sonoma County Library to provide day-use parking passing (hangtags) to the public. Through this initiative, the library manages an annual inventory of approximately 100 vehicle day-use entry hangtags for free check out at 15 branches. The pass can be borrowed for three weeks and entitles the user to free parking at 60 regional parks, trails, and beaches. The program has proven immensely popular, with the library reporting 921 checkouts in 2025.
While the pilot program has successfully introduced hundreds of residents to the County’s parks, there is a substantial waitlist to check out a pass, with the library reporting that more than 300 library cardholders are waiting an average of five to six months in many instances. To meet this high community interest and align with the County’s commitment to equitable park access, Regional Parks proposes a significant increase in the total number of available passes.
In consultation with library management, Regional Parks proposes increasing the ongoing hangtag inventory to the equivalent of 30 passes per branch, with library administrators determining how best to allocate the inventory to serve circulation patterns. This expansion is designed to eliminate or drastically reduce library passholder wait times, ensuring park access is available when residents request it rather than months later. Furthermore, the program will expand to include the Sonoma County Law Library as a partner, providing an anticipated five to ten passes, based on circulation trends.
This model follows the successful example set by California State Parks, which provides approximately 600 parking passes total to the local libraries to maintain a steady and available inventory.
The goal of this expansion is to ensure that local libraries can serve as reliable gateways to health, wellness, and outdoor recreation opportunities. By providing an ongoing inventory that meets community needs, the County can reduce financial barriers and encourage regular exploration of public lands.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
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FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Any direct revenue decreases associated with individuals utilizing this program are expected to result in an increased interest in utilizing regional parks and/or purchasing park memberships that include additional benefits.
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Staffing Impacts: No impacts |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
None
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None