San Diego said meters near Petco Park garnered more than $33,000 during Padres Opening Day, a record since the city increased parking rates.
The move to charge more for parking during special events received immediate pushback from businesses in the Gaslamp and the San Diego Padres.The city’s new special event parking zone in downtown San Diego collected $33,433 between 11 a.
m. and 5 p.m. on just the first day of the baseball season. A new special event parking zone in downtown San Diego, meant to increase the amount of money generated for the city during big events in the Gaslamp, has done just that. The city of San Diego said Friday the meters near Petco Park garnered more than $33,000 during the San Diego Padres' first game of the season, a record since the city implemented a $10-an-hour parking rate during special events that draw crowds of 10,000 or more.The city last September approved increasing parking meter rates in a 200-square-block zone around Petco Park. The changes, the city said, were meant to improve the management of on-street parking,"enable greater investment" in areas with meters, and to bring San Diego in line with parking fees in other major cities.The move received immediate pushback from businesses in the Gaslamp and the San Diego Padres, who said in a statement that the decision was Groups representing downtown businesses, including the Downtown San Diego Partnership and San Diego's chapter of the California Restaurant Association, said in a statement Thursday the parking fees were putting a damper on the excitement around Opening Day. "Downtown’s vitality depends on it being easy to access for everyone. By increasing metered parking to as much as $10 per hour during special events, we are not inviting people Downtown with open arms — we are effectively greeting them with an entrance fee," the statement read, in part. The organizations said they have been in discussion about potential changes with the city. While some councilmembers have proposed rollbacks — reducing fees to $5 an hour, shortening the enforcement window and decreasing the area covered by the fee — The Special Event Zone, approved in June, applies to meters from State Street to 17th Street, between Broadway and Harbor Drive. The increased rates are in effect two hours before and four hours after the event's scheduled start time. Drivers with a valid Disabled Person parking placard may continue to park at meters free of charge. The decision to increase parking meter rates downtown came as the city worked to balance a $252.2 million budget deficit and alongside other controversial decisions like implementing paid parking lots and installing meters in and around Balboa Park. The city said any fees must be reinvested into parking and mobility-related needs within the zone where they were collected.San Diego airport sees long lines, flight delays amid staffing shortages from shutdown
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Streamline: San Diego is 'Friar'd Up' for Padres Opening Day!Jermaine Ong is a Digital Content Producer at ABC 10News/KGTV in San Diego.
Read more »
Padres Cut Ties With Offseason Addition Just Ahead of Opening DayThe San Diego Padres have released the offseason addition just ahead of Opening Day.
Read more »
What the Padres Opening Day Loss Told Us — And What It Didn’tEverything we learned from the San Diego Padres' Opening Day blowout loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Read more »
Tarik Skubal dominates Padres, Nick Pivetta falters in Tigers' Opening Day routTakeaways from the Padres’ Opening Day loss to the Tigers as Tarik Skubal dominates, Nick Pivetta struggles early, and rookie Kevin McGonigle shines in his MLB debut at Petco Park.
Read more »
Padres CEO Addresses City Connect Jersey LeaksSan Diego Padres CEO Erik Greupner addressed the City Connect jersey leaks.
Read more »
107-Year-Old Padres Fan Celebrates Opening DayA 107-year-old San Diego Padres fan, Betty Haver, celebrates the start of the 2026 MLB season with family, friends, and a watch party, reminiscing about her long-time love for the team and sharing her secrets to a long and happy life.
Read more »