Backlash forces Balboa Park parking rollback
Mayor Gloria Blinks on Balboa Park Parking After Massive Backlash
Well, San Diego, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. After a month of furious backlash, vandalized kiosks, and plummeting museum attendance, Mayor Todd Gloria announced Friday that he's rolling back parts of the deeply unpopular Balboa Park paid parking program.
Starting March 2, verified city residents can once again park for free in seven lots including Pepper Grove, Federal, Palisades, Marston Point, and both Inspiration Point lots. Enforcement hours are also being trimmed, ending at 6 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. — a welcome change for anyone catching an Old Globe show or dinner at The Prado.
The catch? Residents still have to pay in the five premium lots closest to the park's biggest attractions, including the Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, and Organ Pavilion lots. That's $5 for up to four hours or $8 for the full day. And non-residents from elsewhere in the county? Their rates haven't budged at all.
Gloria framed the retreat as good governing, saying he listened to feedback from residents and council members. The move effectively killed a City Council vote scheduled for Monday that would have suspended paid parking entirely. Council President Joe LaCava pulled the item after calling the deal a successful compromise.
Not everyone is celebrating. Activist Shane Harris called the announcement window dressing, arguing that paid parking is still fundamentally preserved. The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership welcomed the changes as a first step but said more needs to be done.
Here's the budget reality nobody wants to talk about. The city has already collected about $700,000 from the program, but this rollback will cost an estimated $1.7 million in projected revenue through June. With a $119 million deficit already looming, those cuts have to come from somewhere.
Over 3,000 residents have registered for the verification program so far. Whether this compromise holds or unravels remains to be seen. With budget cuts looming, museum attendance still recovering, and county residents left footing the full bill, the Balboa Park parking saga is far from over.
Sources: NBC San Diego | KPBS | Times of San Diego | San Diego Union-Tribune | FOX 5 | 10News | CBS 8