SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego City Council on Monday will get an update on a paid parking proposal in Balboa Park as it considers an ordinance to charge people parking on park-adjacent streets Park Boulevard and 6th Avenue.
The council will first hear an informational item at 1 p.m. Monday "intended to provide an overview of key elements," such as proposed rates, discounts for city residents, how to enforce the payment, how to implement the new charge and more. The body will then have a discussion item on an ordinance to create a parking meter zone on streets adjacent to the park.
Parking studies by city staff determined that the Balboa Park parking meter zone "should be the area south of Upas Street, west of 28th Street, north of Russ Boulevard and west to and including the western side of 6th Avenue."
It's an item the council has plenty of motivation to see through, as the city's precariously balanced budget rests on the estimated millions of dollars paid parking at Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo will collect every year -- $11 million annually, according to a city document.
A draft plan for the parking lots introduces three pricing tiers -- Levels 1, 2, and 3 -- based on demand and proximity.
- Level 1 lots, located in the core of the Central Mesa area, would be subject to the highest rate. These include: Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, Pan American Plaza (Palisades), Casa de Balboa, Fleet Science Center North (Pepper Grove North), the Natural History Museum, and South Carousel lots
- Level 2 lots would be priced at 50% of the Level 1 rate. These include: Fleet Science Center South (Pepper Grove South), Starlight Bowl (Federal), Marston Point, and Veterans Museum
- Level 3 lots would also be priced at 50% of the Level 1 rate, but with the first two hours free to preserve access for short-term visitors. This includes: Inspiration Point
- Additionally, city staff proposes adding $2.50 an hour parking to streets inside Balboa Park, including President's Way, Village Place, Balboa Drive, El Prado, Quince Street and Juniper Street
The council said during its budget process in June it would be interested in a discount rate for city residents proposed at 50% for the Level 1 lots. Verification will require proof of address, similar to how the city's discount golf card works.
"While final rates have not yet been established and are subject to City Council approval, [the city] is initially proposing a $12 all-day rate for Level 1 lots and recommend the Level 2 and 3 lots would be set at 50% of the Level 1 rate at $6," a statement from San Diego's Parks and Recreation Department reads. "With a resident rate factored in, residents would receive a 50% discount at the highest tiered rate, Level 1 lots, which would be $6 instead of $12. Staff's research suggests that comparable all-day parking fees in similar recreation based off-street lots typically range between $5 and $15."
According to the proposal, park staff and volunteers would continue to park for free. The zoo's lot is part of ongoing discussion, as it controls its own lot.
RELATED COVERAGE:
- City provides clearer picture on how much & where you could have to pay at Balboa
- Visitors react to possibility of paying for parking at Balboa Park
- San Diego mayor's budget plan includes proposal to charge for parking at Balboa Park
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