San Diego officials are weighing whether to start charging for parking at some city beaches as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, a move that would largely target visitors and out‑of‑town drivers while carving out cheaper options for locals. The proposal being discussed includes charges for RV parking and boat launches, and singles out Mission Bay as one of the top spots under consideration. The idea has already drawn pushback from residents and will be reviewed by the city’s budget committee this week.
What the budget memo recommends
According to the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst report, the Council’s FY 2027 priorities document recommends initiating “a paid beach & bay parking program” that would charge non‑residents while preserving local access through a low‑income permit program or a “beachgoer badge.” The report explicitly names Mission Bay Park — noting it ranks among the nation’s most‑visited municipal parks — and asks staff to model vehicle entrance fees, RV and boat launch surcharges, and other non‑resident revenue options. It also asks the city to evaluate revenue ideas, such as a rental-car business tax, to help close budget shortfalls.
Locals push back
Some residents told 10News they oppose any fee, saying it "isn't fair" to charge for access to public shorelines. The station also reports the budget memo lists a variety of other revenue ideas — from taxes on rental cars to potential fees tied to empty storefronts and admission charges at major city events — that are intended to shift more costs onto visitors.
Not the first time parking has been on the table
The beach‑parking idea comes after months of parking policy changes across the city, including higher meter rates and a package of reforms that extended paid hours and introduced new fees in high‑demand areas. KPBS Public Media and other outlets have tracked the council’s recent debates over paid parking in Balboa Park and at other city sites as officials look for new revenue streams.
How the city would try to protect locals
The budget memo emphasizes designing a program that protects resident access while capturing tourist revenue, suggesting measures such as residency-verified passes, annual or quarterly park passes for frequent users, credit-card kiosks, and CPI-indexed rates to stabilize receipts. It points to Del Mar and Oceanside as examples of shore‑side hourly pricing and asks staff to build options that could pass muster with state coastal regulators before moving forward. The memo frames these ideas as ways to shift the burden of park upkeep onto non‑residents while preserving affordable access for San Diegans.
