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City Council votes to repeal Balboa Park paid parking as part of settlement
Summary
San Diego City Council voted unanimously to end the Balboa Park paid‑parking program, restore free parking on streets and lots by Jan. 1, 2027, and prorate refunds for annual pass holders; museum and park leaders said the move reverses declines in visitation tied to the fee.
San Diego City Council voted unanimously on June 8 to repeal the Balboa Park paid‑parking program and restore free parking in both park lots and on park streets effective Jan. 1, 2027. The action is part of a negotiated settlement tied to a separate solid‑waste management dispute.
Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who brought the compromise to open session, described the action as part of a two‑part settlement that included trash‑fee changes and the parking repeal. Staff said kiosks and meters in surface lots and on Park Boulevard will be removed, the treasurer will stop selling passes that would extend beyond Dec. 31, 2026, and annual passes issued previously will be refunded on a prorated basis for unused time after Jan. 1, 2027.
Jacob O'Neil of the council office laid out operational steps and fiscal context, and Independent Budget Analyst Charles Modica told the council the move will have limited impact on the FY 2027 budget because recent parking receipts have exceeded earlier projections. Modica cautioned, however, that the city will need to account for a $7–$10 million annual revenue reduction in FY 2028 and beyond and that zoo lease and other contractual revenue effects are under review.
Peter Kaminski of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, speaking for multiple museums and cultural organizations, said the repeal is vital to reversing attendance declines and stabilizing operations. "Your creativity and leadership will begin to pull Balboa Park back from the brink," he told the council. Representatives of the Model Railroad Museum, Old Globe and other institutions described lost admissions and staff reductions they attributed to parking costs.
Public commenters were sharply divided: neighborhood and access advocates pushed for immediate and full repeal, while some residents raised fiscal concerns about park maintenance funding that had been tied to the program. Councilmembers stressed that removal of the meters does not erase the park's maintenance needs and said budget tradeoffs will be addressed in the FY 2028 cycle.
The council approved repeal without a recorded opposition; staff will direct the Treasurer’s Office to stop sale of passes that extend into 2027 and to process prorated refunds for annual passholders.
