Despite doubling the cost of parking meters, the city of San Diego is now looking at several other changes, reports NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry.
A San Diego committee on Thursday pushed forward a comprehensive look at parking rules that could lead to several changes if passed by the full city council.
The changes began in January, when most hourly parking meters increased from $1.25 to $2.50 starting on Jan. 31, following a resolution by the San Diego City Council. The city manages approximately 5,700 metered parking spaces, according to their parking meter operations website.
Increasing parking meter rates came on the heels of the city beginning to look at ways to address a $250-million-plus budget shortfall.
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Around the same time that the cost of parking meters doubled, the city released a comprehensive parking reform study that explored a host of other increases.
The city's Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee took up the issue at a meeting Thursday, and pushed the changes forward to city council.
The agenda item was initiated by the former Sustainability and Mobility Department.
The requested action is to approve a package that includes amendments to Chapter 8 of the municipal code and an update to city fees, including charging late evenings and Sundays, as well as:
- Amended language related to maximum rate, days of enforcement and utilization targets to enable implementation of dynamic parking
- Update code sections discussing eligible uses of parking meter proceeds
- Update and/or remove outdated code language regarding legacy programs and new parking design standards
- Specify authority for city manager to regulate parking on city parking lots, including parks, beaches and open space
- Amend residential parking permit programs to allow for more streamlined permit-area establishment and flexible program design to respond to the changing residential building landscape
Other suggested municipal code amendments include amending municipal code §86.0123 to create so-called "surge" charging to peak demand that could run as high as $20.00. The change is aimed at daily or seasonal peak demand periods.
Before Thursday's meeting, San Diego City Council member Stephen Whitburn's office, the committee's chairman, said he would "fight to keep parking free for residents in their own neighborhood on Sundays.”
It was not clear how, exactly, such a plan would be implemented.
That language, "their own neighborhoods," echoes a point made by City Council president Sean Elo-Rivera in January, when the doubling of parking meter rates was discussed.
"These funds could alleviate pain for tough decisions later," Elo-Rivera said. "But I don't want San Diegans to be subsidizing vacations for tourists who can afford to come here."
Although Elo-Rivera ended up voting to double parking rates, one council member, Vivian Moreno, was reticent to raise the cost of living more on residents already struggling.
"Many District 8 constituents would not be able to afford parking rates that have doubled," Moreno said in January. "Rising prices are impacting everybody in our community."
If parking changes are approved, updates will need to be made to signage, workers will need to be hired to administer the program and any potential resident impacts will need to be assessed, planned and put into place.
