SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — New paid parking meters are being installed in several neighborhoods around San Diego, sparking frustration among residents and business owners.
We first told you about the parking meters in February after the city notified property owners and residents in the neighborhoods where they are being added. That includes Normal Heights, City Heights, and Kensington-Talmadge — areas notorious for tough parking.
According to a city spokesperson: "When a meter is installed, it improves the parking turnover in an area to allow more access and patrons the ability to find parking more close to the businesses they want to visit". The money made from the meters is going to be used for infrastructure costs in those neighborhoods.
Residents in Normal Heights say the meters are forcing people to park in front of their homes, leaving less space for those who live there. On Monday, business owners on Adams Avenue also expressed that they are not convinced the meters will help with parking turnover.
"It's just another hassle that small business owners are having to deal with," The Ould Sod Co-Owner Mick Ward said. "Another charge. It's an added tax. It's an added, you know, it's a hassle for us".
Even as some of the meters have not officially been activated, another issue, one business owner we spoke to says, is the timing and the way the rollout is happening.
"There are just kind of things that seem a little counterintuitive for the message and the spirit of what we're trying to accomplish and what we're actually seeing," Coco & Jules Co-owner Corey Marino said.
Corey suggested an alternative idea to help people who want to stop at places for a short amount of time. He proposed that the city paint curbs green and implement a 15- to 20-minute time limit so drivers can get in and out of shops quickly without paying.
The Adams Avenue Business Association has presented Marino's ideas to the city. It's also working with the city to possibly lower the cost of the parking meters from the standard $2.50. The association's biggest request is for clear communication from the city throughout the process.
"What is much more of a concern to us is making sure that this is an ongoing conversation and that we can course correct if needed, if the pricing is too long, if the duration isn't right, if the enforcement hours aren't optimal," Adams Avenue Business Association President David Harding said.
A city spokesperson said they do not yet have numbers to show how much revenue the parking meters have brought in so far. The installations are expected to continue through April.
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