San Diego Proposal to Cut Downtown Parking Rates Fails

City Council committee rejects plan to slash special event meter rates, but leaves door open for future changes.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dimly lit, cinematic street scene in downtown San Diego, with a lone parked car and a parking meter in the foreground, conceptually illustrating the tensions over the city's special event parking policies.The debate over downtown San Diego's special event parking policy highlights the challenge of balancing revenue, accessibility, and supporting local businesses.San Diego Today

A proposal by San Diego Councilmember Raul Campillo to cut downtown special event parking meter rates in half, shorten the enforcement window, and limit the enforcement zone was rejected by the city's Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. However, the committee agreed to let Campillo's office work with the city attorney to bring a revised special event parking plan to the full City Council for consideration at a later date.

Why it matters

The current special event parking policy, implemented eight months ago, has faced backlash from downtown businesses, residents, and workers who say the high $10-per-hour rates and broad enforcement zone are hurting economic activity and discouraging people from visiting downtown. The proposal to adjust the policy aims to find a more balanced approach to parking management and pricing.

The details

Campillo's '5/5/5' proposal sought to reduce the special event meter rate to $5 per hour, shorten the enforcement window to 5 hours, and limit the enforcement zone to a 5-block radius around Petco Park. However, committee members said they wanted to see more data before supporting those specific changes. Instead, they agreed to let Campillo's office work on a revised proposal to bring back to the full City Council.

  • The city of San Diego implemented the current special event parking zone 8 months ago.
  • The city budget for fiscal year 2026 originally estimated the special event parking program would generate $6.3 million in revenue, but that projection has since been revised down to $1.7 million.

The players

Raul Campillo

A San Diego City Councilmember who proposed the '5/5/5' plan to reduce special event parking rates and enforcement.

Jennifer Campbell

A San Diego City Councilmember who did not support Campillo's proposal, saying more data was needed, but signaled a desire to make changes to the current program.

Kent Lee

A San Diego City Councilmember who also did not support Campillo's proposal due to a lack of data, but agreed there are concerns about the current program's impact on downtown visitors and businesses.

Heather Kline

The controller for hospitality group Good Time Design, which operates downtown San Diego venues, who spoke against the current special event parking policy.

Justine Murray

The vice president of government affairs for the Downtown San Diego Partnership, who said the $10-per-hour rate has become a de facto entrance fee that is deterring people from visiting downtown businesses.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've passed the financial burden on to residents and workers and attractions that bring economic activity and cultural vitality to our city. We understand that demand pricing is the right way to move forward, and we need to manage that congestion, but the current version in place is too blunt. It's too aggressive.”

— Raul Campillo, San Diego City Councilmember

“We already have problems attracting quality employees because of the parking downtown that they don't want to pay, and this just exacerbates that issue. We've had two employees assaulted on their way home from the bar at 3:30 in the morning because they've had to park so far away to avoid the rates.”

— Heather Kline, Controller, Good Time Design

“It sends a message that downtown is simply too expensive. When San Diegans and tourists are facing a $10-per-hour parking fee ... they're forced to choose between attending a special event and supporting a nearby business.”

— Justine Murray, VP of Government Affairs, Downtown San Diego Partnership

What’s next

Campillo's office will work with the city attorney's office to bring a revised special event parking proposal to the full San Diego City Council for consideration in the coming months.

The takeaway

The debate over downtown San Diego's special event parking policy highlights the challenge of balancing parking management, revenue generation, and supporting local businesses and workers. While the current policy has faced significant backlash, the city is taking a cautious approach to making changes, seeking more data before implementing a revised program.