Starting today, you will have to pay to visit Balboa Park.
The San Diego City Council voted last year to begin charging for vehicle parking in surface lots and along streets within the park as part of an effort to erase a budget deficit. It goes into effect Monday for all lots but the San Diego Zoo's lot, which will run its own parking program.
Besides annual and monthly passes, park-goers can also purchase daily and hourly passes for their vehicles. Kiosks in the park do not have the ability to verify San Diego residence for a discount, but the city said its vendor is working to fix that.
Parking revenues must be reinvested in the park because of both state and local law, with eligible expenses including park operations and maintenance.
Some of the parking kiosks were already vandalized ahead of the start of enforcement on Monday, according to the city.
The cost of each lot varies depending on how close it is located to the center of the park. The rates are:
- Level 1 lots: Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, Bea Evenson, Palisades and South Carousel, $16 per day and $10 for up to 4 hours for non-residents and $8 per day and $5 for up to 4 hours for residents;
- Level 2 lots: Pepper Grove, Federal, Upper Inspiration Point and Marston Point, $10 per day for non-residents and $5 per day for residents; and
- Level 3 lot: Lower Inspiration Point, $10 per day with the first 3 hours free for non-residents and $5 per day with the first 3 hours free for residents.
The city is in the process of installing meters on roads in the park -- including Balboa Drive, El Prado, Juniper Road, Presidents Way, Quince Drive and Village Place -- and around the park on 6th Avenue and Park Boulevard. Those rates will be $2.50 per hour with a maximum of $10 per day. Annual and monthly parking passes apply to the meters inside the park, but not to those outside.
Hours of enforcement will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
