SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – There’s been plenty of talk of paid parking in Balboa Park. More light is being shed on what that idea could look like in reality.
“It’s great to be able to just come anytime, and then yeah, I think if we had to pay to park, it would definitely deter us from coming as often as we do,” Jill Novotny, a San Diego resident, said.
As we previously reported, the City of San Diego is considering paid parking at Balboa Park. It has the ability to charge at the part, but it needs to figure out and finalize how and where.
“That would be a shame, and I don't want to pay to park,” Robin Dillard, a volunteer at Balboa Park, said.
The idea is to generate money that will pay for park improvements, to make sure it’s financially sustainable long term, and what they say will make for a better overall time for visitors here.
“It'll have less people up here. It's bad enough that they put the bike lanes, which took a lot of parking away,” Dillard said.
Mayor Todd Gloria’s office told ABC 10News the proposal has parking meters along Park Boulevard, 6th Avenue, Presidents Way, Balboa Drive, Quince Drive, Village Place, Juniper Street, Park Boulevard and El Prado.
The cost for the meters could be $2.50 an hour but it would still need a former parking meter zone approval.
The 12 off-street lots would have a fee structure given how close it is to the center of the park, which could be $5 to $15 a day.
“I think a tourist might still come, especially for the $2.50 parking. But, once it gets to $15, I think that would really make you change your plans,” Novotny said.
The City said there would be a discounted rate for San Diego residents in those highest-tier lots through a permit system. But it wouldn’t apply to the metered street parking. There’s also another plan being worked out to help those who work and volunteer at Balboa Park.
The San Diego City Council will be presented with the proposal at the end of the month.
