August 25, 2025
Office of Mayor Todd Gloria
City of San Diego
Subject: Urgent Request to Address Parking Reform Rollout & Special Event Pricing Impacts Downtown
Dear Mayor Gloria,
I am writing to express serious concerns on behalf of the Gaslamp Quarter Association regarding the upcoming parking reform rollout scheduled for September 1, 2025, and more specifically, the Special Event Parking Rate Zone that will impose a $10/hour rate two hours before and two hours after major events at Petco Park. While I understand the need to address the City’s budget challenges, this plan fails to account for the very real and immediate consequences to downtown’s workforce, residents, and business community.
In 2025, there are 18 remaining Padre’s home games and 16 special events at Petco Park that meet the threshold to trigger this pricing structure. In 2026, we anticipate a minimum of 81 home games and up to 10 large-scale events or concerts. That means nearly one-third of the calendar year could be subject to this surge pricing, is proportionately affecting downtown.
The designated Special Event Rate Zone is massive, stretching from Broadway to 18th Avenue, south to Harbor Drive, and west to State Street. This zone encompasses the entire Gaslamp Quarter, East Village, Marina District, and parts of surrounding neighborhoods. For businesses, employees, and residents within this zone, this policy poses both economic and safety concerns.
This plan grossly underestimates the effect on the downtown workforce. For hourly employees working during events, the cost of parking during a standard 4-hour Padres game, including the two-hour windows before and after, could exceed $60 per shift on the low end. This is simply unaffordable for many. Business owners are already reporting the loss of employees in anticipation of the September 1 rollout, as workers are beginning to look for jobs outside downtown where parking is not a barrier to
employment. These are the very people who power our restaurants, retail stores, service businesses, and hotels, and they are being priced out of their livelihoods.
To avoid these exorbitant fees, many workers will be forced to park far from the downtown core, introducing new safety risks, particularly for those walking late at night after closing shifts that often end as late as 2:00 AM. This is not an acceptable trade-off for budget balancing.
There are also operational concerns. Most downtown meters currently have a two-hour limit, and no plan has been shared to update or reprogram them in time for this rollout. That means visitors attending a game or concert could be forced to leave mid-event to re-feed the meter or risk receiving a citation, an experience that will frustrate and deter downtown visitors.
These increased costs associated with the surge pricing will discourage patrons from visiting the Gaslamp Quarter and East Village, especially during special events. A sudden spike in parking fees makes a night out in downtown less accessible and more financially burdensome for everyday San Diegans and visitors, directly undercutting the very businesses that rely on foot traffic to survive.
Even worse, this policy fails to incentivize fans to stay downtown after games. For those who might normally enjoy dinner, drinks, or entertainment after attending a Padres game, the extra parking cost creates a strong disincentive to linger downtown. Event producers and vendors who schedule programming during game nights will face financial strain as their guests weigh the cost of attendance, parking included.
It must also be said that this plan was developed and advanced with no stakeholder engagement. Neither the Gaslamp Quarter Association (GQA), the East Village Association (EVA), the San Diego Downtown Residents Group (SDDRG), nor the California Restaurant Association, San Diego Chapter (SDCRA) were not given any notice or opportunity to provide input. Even the San Diego Padres, whose events are the direct trigger for these rate changes, have publicly stated they were not informed in advance.
This surge pricing plan, and the broader parking reform package, threatens the long-term economic viability of small businesses, jeopardizes employment across the restaurant and lodging industries, and ignores the real-world challenges of operating in downtown San Diego. If left unaddressed, the result will be fewer employees, fewer visitors, and fewer businesses able to survive in the heart of the city.
We are not alone in our concern. The following businesses and community leaders have signed on in opposition to the Special Event Parking Rate Zone and stand united in urging your office to delay implementation and work with us toward a more equitable plan. Their support signals the urgency of this issue and reflects the shared frustration across industries, sectors, and neighborhoods.
• Sarah Mattinson, Chapter President, California Restaurant Association, San Diego Chapter
• Dominic LaMandri, Executive Director, East Village Association
• Gary Smith, President, San Diego Downtown Residents Group
• Hadeer Ascandar, Owner, Gaslamp Pizza, Chocolate, and Gaslamp Burger
• Howard Greenberg, President, Trilogy Real Estate Management
• Aron Langelier, Partner, Varant Group (representing Barleymash, Smoking Gun, Hasta Mañana, Spill the Beans)
• Joe Santos, GBOD Hospitality Group (representing El Chingon, Havana 1920, Meze Greek Fusion, Prohibition)
• Vania Raitano, President, Whiskey Girl & Double Deuce
• Sean Renard, Director of Operations, King’s Seafood Group (representing Lou & Mickey’s and Water Grill)
• Marsha Sewal and Catalina Preskill, Chairs, Land Use and Planning Group
• Rhianon Luna, Executive Director, Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation
• Sonya Sparks, President, Sparks Gallery
• Mark Buehler, Partner, American Junkie
• Juliana Ortiz, Owner, Cali Cream Ice Cream
• Josefine Jardinger, Owner (representing The Shout! House and Garage Kitchen + Bar)
• Surinder Singh, Owner, Urban India
• Rod Razooky, Owner, Cuban Cigar Factory
• Stacy Drayne, Owner (representing The Field Irish Pub)
• Tim Jackson, Owner, Urban Lighting
• Joclyn Terry, Owner, Deringer Salon
As Executive Director of the Gaslamp Quarter Association, I represent and speak on behalf of nearly 400 member businesses. Together with our neighbors in East Village, we stand united in saying this is not how the City of San Diego should treat its business community. I have no faith that your office will act on this request in good faith. For that reason, this letter has not only been delivered to your office, but it has also been distributed to every major media outlet in San Diego.
This is not an issue that will fade quietly. Our merchants, our workforce, and our visitors deserve transparency and leadership, not last-minute rollouts and blanket policies that risk harming the very community that fuels downtown’s economy. There is still time to meet with us before this policy takes effect. We remain willing to collaborate, but we will not sit silently while our small businesses shoulder the weight of the City’s budget crisis alone. The lack of transparency and outreach is unacceptable and
undermines community trust.
Best regards,
Michael Trimble
Executive Director
Gaslamp Quarter Association
It is staggering that the city did not even consult in advance with the most directly affected and active organizations that represent and/or are knowledgeable about the likely consequences of this plan for businesses, residents, employees, and visitors downtown. It appears that little or no research was done on potential impacts in this area that is so vital to San Diego’s economic well-being.
City Hall’s need for money may be urgent, but it was not unexpected. There was no guarantee that Measure E would pass.
Staff should have been directed several months ago to identify and gather data about a range of options, including administrative (not just public services!) cost-cutting as well as new/increased revenue streams, so that those could have been presented to the public and debated before being implemented.
Instead, bad ideas are simply being rushed into reality, including this plan for surge pricing on downtown parking that is scheduled to go into effect just days from now.
RESIDENTS / VISITORS FORCED TO PAY FOR GLORIA’S FRAUD and FAILURES: Say goodbye to travel and tourism revenue and residents leaving their part of town to support small business. I’m not looking forward to the carnage that is surely coming over then next several months, as so many businesses prepare to shut down, owners leaving San Diego, and feeder markets opting to visit Anaheim, Catalina, even Long Beach, vs the Drugged Out BS Dump that has become of San Diego. Once America’s Finest City.
It’s really important that this message really, truly reaches these people and sinks in. It’s really important that these associations take a stand and use their collective voices, like they are here. I’ve seen far too much pandering to these specific, totally failed, popular in their own closed off group of people who are in on their overall schemes, recieving accolades, praise and awards from associations, as if the association is going to somehow benefit by bolstering these people who are absolutely not doing their jobs, and not working in the best interest of the community. Like a pack of prison cigarettes, they anticipate these awards and praises will result in the appropriate vote, selective favor, consideration, or even basic function of carrying out thier job, like San Diego District Atttorney, etc. as if giving her a platform will somehow motivate her to suddenly protect and serve that particular area or association, which is simply not the case. They aren’t here to make friends, they’ve got their own personal and financial interests to look out for, and far too many to have time to worry about the future of san Diego or its residents. The horse and pony show has to end, immediately. And more conversations like this letter, need to take place
You missed the memo. You don’t pay the meter because the ticket is cheaper. Toss these clowns out of office. Get the meters out of Balboa Park. Annual Zoo pass goodbye.