During the city council hearing Tuesday afternoon, November 18, a discussion was held about charging residents and non-residents for parking at San Diego beaches and at Mission Bay Park. Former city council member Donna Frye observed the hearing. She filed this exclusive report for the Rag this morning, the 19th.
Non-Resident Paid Parking at Our Beaches and Mission Bay Park Does Not Move Forward as a Revenue Option- For Now
By Donna Frye
On November 18, the city council did not include the proposal for non-residents to pay a fee to park at our beaches and Mission Bay Park as a revenue option. Therefore, it was not part of the council resolution being sent to the mayor’s office for consideration in preparing the FY 2027 budget.
Oddly, there was almost no discussion at the council meeting about the paid parking proposal or the decision by the mayor to enact a revenue audit moratorium on the Mission Bay Park leases for nine months.
Councilmember Campillo was the only one who spoke at any length about the paid parking and made it very clear that he would not support charging residents or non-residents to park at Mission Bay Park or our beaches. Campillo also asked the Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) for clarification to ensure that paid parking at our beaches and Mission Bay Park was not included in the council’s budget recommendations to the mayor. The IBA confirmed that it was not included. Councilmember von Wilpert also indicated her opposition to paid beach and bay parking.
This is a good outcome for the public and we can give our thanks to all the people who helped stop this terrible idea.
It does not mean that it’s a done deal, however.
Even though the mayor is not required to release the proposed budget until April 15, 2026, it is being prepared now, discussions are taking place and decisions are being made.That’s why it’s important to let the mayor know that you oppose paid parking at our beaches and Mission Bay Park. Please take a moment now to send your comments to Mayor Gloria.
Link: https://www.sandiego.gov/mayor/contact
In addition, there are many other opportunities for the city council to bring back the paid parking issue as a revenue option.
For example, on December 10, the city council Budget and Government Efficiency committee meets to discuss the FY 2027-2031 Five-Year Financial Outlook and other budget updates. The council will be asked to update their budget priority memos and submit them to the IBA by January 9, 2026.
To better understand how the process works and the key dates for budget development, here is a link to the IBA Report Number 25-28 REV
The paid parking issue is not over and we need to pay close attention. It is sometimes easier to prevent something bad from happening than it is to fix it after the fact. I think this is one of those times.
Thx much Donna for your important research, writing, and advocacy on this important issue.
Yes, Donna, I appreciate your time, expertise, and keen sense of right and wrong. Thank you for speaking up and showing us the tools to make our voices heard.
I wonder if someone at the city sat down and figured out how many points of entry exist to Mission Bay Park and Mission Beach Park (west of Mission Blvd. at Belmont Park).
What would it cost to put in place the cost of collecting access fees at places like Mission Point, the west Jetty Parking (South Mission Beach) lot, the many Places in Mission Beach including San Fernando Place. And how do you charge for access to bayside beaches from the Courts? Having lived in Mission Beach for 25 years, I’ve long known just how difficult it can be to find a parking place along Mission Blvd., north and south, which many residents and their guests, plus the businesses at San Gabriel Place, Ventura Place, north Mission Blvd business districts, depend on.
Would parking meters be considered for Mission Blvd.? If so, would that necessitate Resident Parking Permits (for an annual fee, of course) because so many residences in Mission Beach have limited or no parking available (especially now that so many places are now available only for short term rentals)?
Then there are the access points from W. Mission Bay Drive to Bonita Cove and Ventura Cove, and access points from East Mission Bay Drive including Fiesta Island (I don’t know if that’s considered a public roadway or considered a park road), and North Mission Bay Dr. for access to Mission Bay Golf Course & eventually to new facilities in the De Anza Point area.
There’s parking all along E. Mission Bay Drive – would that have parking meters or simply pay points for entrance to the parking lots around Mission Bay including the lots on Vacation Isle east of Ingraham St. And in north Mission Bay Park, what might be the parking impacts on the public streets of Pacific Beach?
Mission Bay Park, and Balboa Park, are public *regional* assets. So now, because of past disastrous financial decisions by certain mayors: Gloria (buying 101 Ash St.), Faulconer (buying the skydiving facility and other poor decisions) and, in the 1990s, Golding with her ‘borrowing’ from the employee pension fund to underwrite the Republican National Convention which we the citizens continue to pay back in large amounts, we the citizens are now being expected to pay for access and enjoyment of public lands that belong to us. Those pension fund repayments are monies that should remain in the General Fund to pay for essential city services.
I could go on and on but anyone familiar with Mission Bay Park, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach can see the difficulties pay parking would impose on both residents west of the park, and visitors throughout the park and the costs to the city to actually impose and collect the fees.
What I foresee for both Mission Bay Park and Balboa Park are reductions in the number of locals going to their own dedicated public parks. The impacts will not be limited to locals and visitors but on the businesses and, in Balboa Park, the museums. Non-local visitors may also choose to bypass both of these public assets that the mayor and council members want to monetize at the expense of park visitors and users. Are the impacts on their constituents worth this?
I realized after I post my screed above that there also are hundreds or more people who access the parks, especially Mission Bay Park, by bicycle. As I recall from my time on the Mission Bay Park Committee, what will happen with the bicycle racing time trials on Fiesta Island? Will they be required to pay for access and just how will that be accomplished?
I also keep thinking of other aspects of park use such as those who park along the old Sea World Drive to enjoy the natural reserve on the San Diego River or as departure point for bicycle rides around the bay. I’m pretty sure that’s within the boundaries of Mission Bay Park.