From 7SanDiego
Last week, staff from the city of San Diego’s Parks & Rec department released a framework for long-term parking in Balboa Park, one that proposed charging residents $300 per year to park in the city’s crown jewel. Visitors, whether from Del Mar or Delaware, would have had to pay $375 annually.
On Thursday, though, after pushback from the community, adjusted figures from staffers were announced, with a significantly reduced rate: $150 a year, a number in line with one first proposed by some Balboa Park stakeholders when the city council was considering the plan back in September.
Out-of-towners, however, would now be the ones shelling out $300 a year for unlimited visits to Balboa Park under the new plan. A three-month pass for city residents would drop to $60 from the originally proposed $80, while monthly passes would remain at $30, $40 for visitors. A quarterly pass for visitors would actually swell to $120, up from the first proposal of $100.
The passes would apply to any lots in the park, but not for the zoo lot or streets in and near the park, according to the city documents.
On Tuesday, NBC 7 spoke to some members of the Redwood Bridge Club in Balboa Park, some of the most vocal opponents of paid parking in the park since the city took up the issue. They said that paying $300 a year just wasn’t in the cards for many of their players: “The park is going to become a park for the rich people,” said one.
Philippe Gagne, who plays bridge there several times a week, said he didn’t think the city should be balancing its budget on the backs of bridge players, especially senior citizens on a fixed income.
“I lose all the socialization, and that’s what keeps me healthy,” Gagne said. “That’s what keeps us, most of us healthy.”
On Tuesday, the city said the rates were still in flux — just how in flux was revealed on Thursday.
The city council could take the issue up as early as next week.
If the parking pass was $300/year. That is $25/month.
How is it now “a significantly reduced rate: $150 a month”?
Alex, no you must be right, by implication, that it has to be $150 a year. I looked at the original 7SanDiego report, and they had “$150/month” — which has to be a typo. I’ve corrected our version. Thanks for pointing this out. Also the graph confirms this.
WTF. No way! I’m 76, disabled. Shame on the powers that be. BS
Comical, why are we even here? Why am I here? I read these things and go OMG, don’t want to respond, and here I am. How nonsensical has this town become as we deal with the national level? We are so much a mess that we have to do this to local park visitors and also the tourists. There is so much going on and it grinds at times the many dysfunctional avenues of our politics. Attempting to go back into not commenting BC the only real change is by voting. The city won’t listen.
Thanks Chris; I totally understand and empathize.
How greedy the mayor and clowncil is to raise everything they can. Why? My guess is for the foolish spending they’ve done, they’re now trying to replenish the kitty, before they’re termed out and the compost really hits the fan, when the reality is public info.
An earlier version of this post had a headline that read “$150 per month”, which was an error we picked up from the original article at 7SanDiego. That number is absurb and a reader figured it out. It’s still too damn high, however.
The city has scheduled a hearing at city hall re.Balboa Park paid parking to be held on Tuesday, November 18, at 2 p.m. Let your opposition to this matter be heard!!!
And how is that Normal Street Promenade coming along? I believe the cost to San Diegans is around $28 million. Where is that money coming from, other than increased parking meter fees? I can’t believe that the city is not absolutely appalled by this.
$150 is a outragious price for City of San Diego residents! A huge benefit of Balboa Park is if parents are broke they can always take their kids for a fun strolls in Balboa Park.
The public bus transportation in the City of San Diego is grade C in best cases compared to other major cities.
If a yearly resident pass was a reasonable fee of $40 per year maximum, I would probably get a pass just to avoid taking public transportation.
But I prefer a resident sticker, for City residents to pay a $5 flat rate fee using the honor system, for. each visit which is doable and more equitable. They could always do random inspections and add a $500 fine for fraud if a car does not have a resident sticker, and pays $5 instead of the full hourly rate.
But at $150 a year, I’d just avoid going to Balboa Park, and stop bringing my out of state visitors who alwaysbuy teeshirts, books and other stuff at the musuem stores.
The Musuems and stores will end up lossing money, LA has alot more Musuems to visit.
Knowing there will be a Balboa Park parking charge of some sort, what’s consider resident? does this mean if I live in Chula Vista or any other nearby community I pay the higher yearly charge? What ever the out come, I hope you will include the nearby communities…etc. Chula Vista, National City, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Imperial Beach and Coronado as residence, I believe it will be to your advantage. l have been performing in Balboa Park as a musical musician seen 2004 and the extreme high cost in parking would kill that continued enjoyment and dream if I may say so. l hope I,m considered a resident…Thank you
I would rather meters Than $150 a year I don’t go to the park enough to justify those rates. Make the meters 6 hr meters for $3 or $4 and I may go to the park. Dorene is right the vendors will lose out the most. Street parking will be non existent and area residents will be hurt too.
11/18/2025 Item S505: Update to Balboa Park Paid Parking User Fees for Special Event
and Parking Passes Report and Presentation
https://tinyurl.com/20251118b