City of San Diego may charge for parking at Balboa Park

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Balboa Park has enjoyed free parking ever since Franklin D. Roosevelt drove the first car over the Cabrillo Bridge in 1914. Now, 111 years later Mayor Todd Gloria, and the current city council is planning to end the long-standing tradition of free parking in October.

“This is a community that is squeezing its own residents,” said a resident complaining of the city’s plan.

In a Balboa Park advisory committee, a city staff member laid out the plans for charging for parking, while the mayor and city councilmembers are attempting to fill a $250 million budget shortfall.

“Council has already assumed this revenue in the FY '26 budget,” said a city spokeswoman.

Parking fees at Balboa Park are planned to be as high as $12 a day and as low as $6. Prime parking areas will be charged at higher rates and the farthest parking, like at Inspiration Point, would allow for two free hours of parking before charging them max out at $6.

Even with the parking fees being promised to upgrade Balboa Park, the advisory committee on Balboa Park decided to take an unauthorized vote in unanimous opposition to the proposed parking fees.

It’s worth noting that every member of every club museum, theatre, and restaurant that showed up to the meeting opposed the idea of paid parking.  

The City of San Diego hopes to bring in $11 million a year from the new fees, but recently more city councilmembers have turned against the parking fees.

On Sept. 15, the city will hold a hearing and take a vote on whether to charge for parking.