Floating the Comal River could cost non-New Braunfels residents a $5 fee if its city council votes in favor of a new proposal.
When tubing the Comal River you can either rent a tube from an outfitter and use their entry point, or use your own tube and enter from one of the city’s parks.
"We spend pretty close to $1 million per year in all of the river maintenance, clean-up, and police and fire," said New Braunfels Mayor Gale Pospisil. "So we were looking at a way to try to bring in some revenue to help us to keep the river and keep the services provided for our visitors."
Pospisil said the plan is not finalized but the fee would be charged to non-residents who enter the river from Hinman Islands park and Prince Solms Park. Those who enter the park would receive a wristband so they wouldn’t have to pay twice.
"The feeling was that since they [residents] are paying property taxes already they’re helping to pay for the cost of maintaining the park and they would just have to have some form of proof of residency in New Braunfels," Pospisil said.
The form of ID hasn’t been decided and the council will likely vote on it this month. Pospisil says she is leaning in favor of supporting it.
