San Diego City Council Approves Paid Parking on Sundays

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Newly installed parking meters in San Diego to facilitate paid parking.

News Summary

The San Diego City Council has approved new parking regulations allowing paid parking on Sundays to address the city’s budget deficit. The policy includes hourly rates up to $10 near Petco Park during high-traffic events, along with new parking meters in various neighborhoods. Plans are also underway for paid parking at the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park. While revenue generation from these changes is anticipated, concerns arise about their impact on low-income residents. Ongoing discussions focus on balancing local needs with tourism demands.

San Diego – The San Diego City Council has approved significant changes to parking regulations, allowing paid parking on Sundays. This new policy aims to address the city’s budget deficit by generating an estimated tens of millions of dollars, as part of a comprehensive approach to urban parking management.

The updated parking policies include hourly rates reaching up to $10 near Petco Park, specifically during high-traffic events, and the introduction of additional parking meters across various neighborhoods. Decisions regarding specific areas where Sunday paid parking will be enforced are yet to be determined, but charges will apply exclusively to metered locations.

Additionally, city officials are working on plans to implement paid parking at both the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, although the specific costs for employees, volunteers, and residents are currently under review. In the interim, residents affected by the Sunday paid parking can obtain annual residential permits for just $9.

Negotiations are also underway between Mayor Todd Gloria’s aides and the state Coastal Commission to establish paid parking at Mission Bay Park and city beach parking lots. Mayor Gloria’s staff is exploring the possibility of exemptions or discounts for local residents using off-street facilities, including those at the zoo, to mitigate the financial impact of increased parking fees.

Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera has expressed the need for residents to receive fair treatment, advocating for lower parking rates for locals compared to visitors. This stance reflects ongoing tensions between addressing the financial demands of tourism and meeting the needs of resident communities.

Despite the benefits foreseen from the new parking policy, there are also concerns regarding its implications for low-income families. Councilmembers Marni von Wilpert and Vivian Moreno voted against the parking policy package, voicing worries that the changes may disproportionately burden lower-income residents who rely on affordable parking options.

According to projections, adding paid parking at the San Diego Zoo could generate estimated annual revenues between $15 million and $17 million. The zoo currently features 3,000 parking spaces, and current negotiations are focused on determining revenue-sharing models.

The Council’s new measures will also allow neighborhoods to implement parking meters more easily, without needing to establish a nonprofit community parking district. Additionally, a new fee structure will penalize developers who eliminate parking spaces that could generate revenue for the city, despite the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce arguing that this might deter housing development.

Concerns regarding potential parking fees in Balboa Park were raised by some council members, including Stephen Whitburn, who emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between paid and free parking options to ensure accessibility for all visitors.

Discussions are ongoing regarding the eventual implementation of paid parking at city beaches; however, applications will not be accepted until additional votes and regulations are established. The city aims to introduce demand-based variable pricing in busy areas, beginning with substantially elevated rates near key attractions during peak times.

These sweeping changes mark a significant shift for the city, repealing a long-standing law that prohibited paid parking on Sundays. The council’s decisions reflect a larger trend in urban environments to rethink parking as a revenue source while managing the complex needs of residents and visitors alike.