Land-use policies promoting higher density and development near mass transit, as well as hikes to meters and other parking-related fees addressing the City’s existing $258 million budget deficit, have dominated the political conversation of late.
On the budget front, the City has reacted to its budget deficit by doubling parking meter rates from $1.25 to $2.50, as well as proposing a package of changes to how it handles parking. Those include extending meter hours into late evenings and ending free parking on Sunday, along with adding special parking pricing for events at Petco Park and the San Diego Convention Center.
On the housing side, the City’s Bonus ADU Program, intended to encourage the building of more affordable housing, has come under heavy fire from residents claiming the measure is marred with loopholes allowing developers to turn ADUs into apartments, increasing density and threatening quality of life in neighborhoods.
San Diego Community Newspaper Group, through emails and social media, asked coastal residents to weigh in on proposed parking fee increases and the City’s Bonus ADU Program. Here’s what they had to say:
“For the parking, I think the question needs to be raised why PB has parking meters and La Jolla Village continues to have free parking,” said Natalie A. of La Jolla Village. “You can’t make the argument that one is coastal and the other isn’t, or that one is a tourist area and the other isn’t, or one has a better business district than the other. La Jolla needs to have meters. I would rather see them increase the bus services to downtown rather than higher fees.”
“Do they (City) ever consider business lost due to increases in fees?” asked PB resident Carolyn Chase, adding, “There is also then more parking into neighborhoods to avoid it. I feel like we’re thought of just as piggy banks for them to tap into instead of cutting expenses like most of us have to do.”
David Little of La Jolla echoed the sentiments of City labor leader Michael Zucchet in asking, “Is anyone running this City? Why can’t they make and stick to a budget? It seems to me the biggest deficit is caused by mistakes they’ve (City’s) made in real estate deals. That and trying to solve a problem, homelessness, that can’t be solved by spending tax money and money from raising fees to buy shelters.”
Concerning increasing parking fees, Mark Oliver, owner of Pueblo restaurant in PB, said: “I understand the City needs to increase revenue, and I would prefer that it begins that process now rather than later. So sure, charge on Sundays. Why should Sunday be any different than other days? That seems like a painless step to take.
Street-metered parking could be expanded in the beach area. Metered parking is so much cheaper than paid parking lots that it seems like a bargain in comparison. We have metered parking around my business that was installed about a year ago, and I don’t think that it has harmed my business, my neighbors, or our visitors,” Oliver said
Della June of Clairemont wondered why the City isn’t listening to its constituents. “Eighty percent of the voters who spoke at the (City) ADU Bonus Program meeting this week want it repealed,” she noted, asking, “Why aren’t our elected officials representing the needs of their constituents?”
Concerning the City’s not immediately repealing bonus ADUs, Gary Wonacott of Mission Beach said: “This is a move that will encourage illegal parking on properties by enabling building of ADUs without parking spaces and then charging for off-street parking. It is a tax on visitors to our parks and beaches.”
Tom Rodabaugh, who lives near Kate Sessions Park, enumerated his concerns about City parking changes/fee increases and the City’s Bonus ADU Program. “My concern is enforcement,” he said. “It seems that the City is unable to enforce existing parking rules that result in camping on our streets and parking lots. Now they want to add or change rules about parking, but would need to hire more manpower to enforce. Doesn’t make sense. The ADU rules need to be rewritten to preserve, rather than destroy, neighborhoods.”
One respondent, who requested anonymity, believes the City needs to be held more accountable for its actions. “The City made some financial mistakes, overspent, and now they have a deficit,” they said. “The City now wants ‘us,’ you and me, to pay for their monetary blunder. My view is to ‘not’ extend parking meter hours into the evenings. No parking fees in off-street beach parking lots like Mission Bay Park. Do not end the free parking on Sundays and ‘no’ special pricing for events at Petco Park and the Convention Center. The City should look at themselves and see what ‘cuts’ they can make internally to help fund their monetary blunder that they created.”