SAN DIEGO — Visitors to Balboa Park will be asked to pay to park in city lots today, ending a tradition of more than 100 years: the city’s crown jewel has been free for visitors in private vehicles.
San Diego residents can now purchase monthly, quarterly, or annual parking passes at a discounted rate by visiting https://sandiego.thepermitportal.com/.
Starting Monday, residents can choose to pay $30 for a monthly parking pass, $60 for a quarterly pass or $150 for an annual one. Non-residents can pay $40, $120 or $300 for the same levels.
City residents can apply for discounted rates on the city website via address verification. Park employees, volunteers, and those with an ADA placard will continue to park for free. A free tram service will continue to serve visitors, operating from the Inspiration Point parking lot to various stops throughout Balboa Park.
The move has proven controversial, with one vandal making their displeasure known last week. Multiple kiosks were vandalized on New Year’s Day, filled with expanding contractor’s foam, and at least one was smeared with feces.
The fiscal year 2026 budget, passed last summer, anticipated $15.5 million in parking revenue from Balboa Park. That revenue number assumed $12.5 million in fee parking in Balboa Park and at least $3 million from zoo parking.
A revised figure presented to the City Council in November found that non-zoo parking might generate just $2.9 million, a $9.6 million decrease from initial estimates. Originally, the city planned to begin charging for parking in October, but delays prevented it, resulting in a three-month loss of revenue. Expected parking rates have also dropped.
The parking passes come under three pricing tiers — Levels 1, 2, and 3 — based on demand and proximity:
— Level 1 lots, located in the core of the Central Mesa area, would be subject to the highest rate — $16 per day and $10 for up to 4 hours for nonresidents and $8 per day and $5 for up to 4 hours for city residents. These include: Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, Bea Evenson, Palisades and South Carousel;
— Level 2 lots would be priced at $10 per day for nonresidents and $5 per day for residents. These include: Pepper Grove, Federal, Upper Inspiration Point and Marston Point; and
— Level 3 lots would also be priced at $10 per day, with the first 3 hours free. Resident rate: $5 per day with the first 3 hours free. This includes the lower Inspiration Point lot.
The Office of the Independent Budget Analyst estimated that revenues from non-zoo parking this fiscal year would be close to $4 million, still well short of plans.
The zoo, which operates under an independent lease from the city, will allow members to continue parking for free. For non-members and non-residents, general parking is $16 per vehicle, per day, and $44 daily for oversized vehicles. City of San Diego resident rates are half that.
Councilman Raul Campillo was an outspoken opponent of charging to park in Balboa Park, but was also flummoxed last year that city staff hadn’t conducted market surveys to determine what might be the best price point.
“We have no idea how much money we will actually get, just a projection. We could actually be losing money on this,” he said, saying the city’s budgetary issues should not come at a cost to its residents. “Instead of tightening our own belt, it’s tightening the belts of people we are sworn to serve.”
Campillo was joined by Council members Vivian Moreno and Stephen Whitburn in voting no on the parking passes.
Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera appeared to bristle at Campillo’s insinuations about cutting city staff or services to shore up the budget shortfall.
“The idea that the way to have the things we want is by cutting city employees is just not true,” he said. “There are no city services without city employees.
“I think the city residents carry the burden of this city being a tourist destination,” Elo-Rivera said about Campillo’s idea to charge a flat rate for all county residents, including city of San Diego residents. “We need more resources, I think it’s fair to expect non-residents to pay for those resources.”
The San Diego City Council also approved a special event rate intended to recoup some costs for hosting events, with large events such as five-kilometer runs required to pay as much as $3,000 for full-day parking.
Revenues from parking fees collected within the park must be spent within Balboa Park. The funds can support ongoing maintenance, infrastructure, and visitor amenities, including road repaving, lighting upgrades, sign improvements, and landscaping.
While projected revenues remain well below expectations, the city could face midyear budget cuts.
“The stakes of this program are high, given the reliance on the revenues in this fiscal year’s budget,” Mayor Todd Gloria said in September. “It’s now incumbent on all of us to ensure it delivers so we can avoid steep and painful midyear cuts that will impact neighborhood services throughout the city.”
If projected revenue falls short, the city will need to find additional funding, with the library system a likely target.
Due to dealings at City Hall during the budget process, 17 of the city’s 37 library branches are open Mondays. Recreation center hours, city-owned lake access, and other park and recreation services were among the last items added to the budget and may be the first to go if budget cuts are needed.
