Everyone from wedding planners to fitness trainers to crafters selling their wares would pay for use of the 30-acre Kaka'ako Waterfront Park under a commercial fee schedule set to go before the governor for approval.

The fees range from as little as $10 a day for fitness or ocean recreation classes to as much as $10,000 for an annual permit to film in the park. Organizations with tax-exempt status are not subject to the fees, as long as any funds raised go to the group.

The Hawai'i Community Development Authority, which oversees management of the state-owned park, said the fees are meant to make sure commercial entities that make money in the park pay for their fair share of its use. Authority board members passed the fee schedule in a meeting April 10. The proposal will go before the Small Business Regulatory Board on Wednesday, and then to the governor, who has the final say.

The fee schedule could go into effect in as little as three months.

Richard Kuitunen, asset manager for the authority, said the fees were drafted in anticipation of more commercial use at the park in coming years. Kaka'ako Waterfront Park, best known for its big hills and stunning views, is nestled in an area expected to grow quickly over the next few years — next to the University of Hawai'i School of Medicine and the future headquarters of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Right now, Kuitunen pointed out, public use of the park far outweighs commercial use.

"We're not trying to restrict any public use of the park," Kuitunen said. "We just want to make sure commercial activities compensate for wear and tear."

But some say the fees are unfair and will push all commercial activities out of the park.

"I think it's unreasonable," said Rosemary Hill, owner of My Hawaii Wedding. Hill said she holds weddings at the park about once a month, charging anywhere between $150 to $2,000. She said she can't afford the proposed $50 fee for wedding ceremonies, and would likely not choose the park as a wedding venue if the fee is approved.

"We're in and out in less than an hour," she said. "And what we're doing is a very nice event."

Michelle Matson, a member of the newly formed Kaka'ako makai advisory group to HCDA, doesn't like the idea of fees for a different reason: She thinks it will encourage more commercial activity in the park.

Spelling out the fees for different activities, she said, opens the doors for bigger commercial entities to come in. "This seems to be exploitation of public lands," she said, adding that permits for commercial use at the park should be limited in their numbers — not tacked with fees.

The fees cover a range of potential commercial activities in the park, from carnivals ($1,000 a day) to festivals ($500 a day) to fundraisers ($100 a day). Kuitunen stressed that tax-exempt groups, including many churches, youth leagues and nonprofits, would not pay fees.

The authority started considering charging for commercial permits in 2005, when it put the option to adopt fees in its regulations. Kuitunen said the fee schedule was drawn up after looking at what the city parks and other municipalities charge.

The cost of permits for commercial use of city parks varies, but are designed mostly to cover the cost of attendants needed to lock and unlock doors or gates. State parks under the Department of Land and Natural Resources require a nominal fee for camping permits, but do not charge for special-use permits, including weddings, festivals and other events. The permits can be denied, however, if it is determined the park cannot accommodate the number of people expected at the event.

Kuitunen said the hope for the fees at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park is that they will encourage limited, but well-attended, commercial activities, attracting people who would otherwise not come to the park. "We want commercial activity to enhance the park experience," he said, "not supersede it."

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.