San Diego, CA
San Diego wants hotels and restaurants to pay more for valet stands and on-street dining. It’s not going over well.
San Diego hotel and restaurant owners are balking at a city proposal to charge them steeply higher fees for their valet parking spaces and on-street outdoor dining areas.
City officials say the hikes are justified, because San Diego loses revenue when parking spots that could otherwise have meters are devoted to other uses like dining or valet parking drop-off and pickup.
But critics, including the county lodging association and merchant groups, say the hikes could prompt some restaurants to eliminate on-street dining altogether and force hotel guests to clog streets by double parking.
One Mission Beach restaurant owner said Tuesday the city can’t keep raising fees and costs on a struggling industry and not expect a rash of closures. “We are teetering,” said Eric Christiansen, the owner of Guava Beach Bar & Grill.
The proposal, which the City Council is scheduled to consider early next month, is part of a wider city campaign to cope with expected budget deficits by raising parking rates and beginning to charge in new places like Balboa Park.
City officials say it’s costing taxpayers many thousands of dollars per year in potential parking meter revenue — revenue that could fund city services — by allowing on-street dining and valet spots, especially popular downtown because hotels there lack space for self-parking by their guests.
And the amount of potential revenue the city is missing out on rose sharply this year, after hourly meter rates were doubled from $1.25 to $2.50, daily meter operations were extended by two hours and a special event zone with higher rates was created near Petco Park.
In an effort to recover a greater share of that lost revenue, city officials are proposing to raise the fees for street-dining space by more than 30% and to hike valet parking fees even more dramatically. Currently, those fees are nearly $38 per square foot in most areas; they would rise to $50.
Fees for outdoor dining would rise by nearly 32% in most neighborhoods and even more in the special-event zone. Also, a fee exemption would be eliminated for seating that is open to the public, instead of reserved only for restaurant customers.
For valet spaces, hotels would pay $5,600 per year for the standard allotment of two valet street spots of 22 feet each, up from the current $600 per year. City officials say the $600 is an application fee, and the $5,000 is a new fee that aims to recover part of the city’s costs.
The hotel industry has mostly accepted that change, but it’s objecting to proposed fees for hotels that want more than two valet spots. Each additional valet spot beyond two would cost a hotel $10,000 in areas that have parking meters and $15,000 in the special-event zone.
“That is just too high for guests, as well as the operators, to be able to absorb,” said Fred Tayco, executive director of the San Diego County Lodging Association.
Tayco said some hotels could end up paying close to $100,000 per year if they need several additional valet spots, predicting that scaling back valet spots would lead to dangerous double parking and unloading of luggage.
“While valet parking may appear like a luxury, for downtown it’s a necessity,” said Tayco, noting that 63% of tourists who visited San Diego last year came by car.
Michael Trimble, executive director of the Gaslamp Quarter Association, questioned how the city arrived at the new proposed fee amounts.
“We can’t support arbitrary, unpublished surcharges that punish businesses,” Trimble said.
City officials say the proposed fees were carefully calculated based on the typical revenue a parking meter generates in a year.
Ahmad Erikat, a program manager in the city’s Transportation Department, said a typical meter downtown generates $25 per day, which may rise to $30 per day now that operating hours have been extended by two hours.
Erikat said the city multiplied that rate times the 350 days per year that meters operate — there are 15 holidays per year when they don’t — to get a total expected revenue per downtown meter of $10,500. So the city decided to charge $10,000 for additional valet spots.
“The objective is to be as close as possible to cost recovery,” he said.
In the special-event zone, a similar calculation led the city to propose $15,000 per valet spot, Erikat said.
For restaurants or hotels willing to operate valet spots only from 5 p.m. to midnight, the fee would be $2,500, which is based on how much meter revenue could otherwise be generated during those hours, Erikat said.
He stressed that the first two valet spots would still be heavily subsidized by the city. Instead of charging the $20,000 that cost recovery would dictate — $30,000 in the special-event zone — the city would charge $5,600 for those two spots.
Full cost recovery would kick in only when additional spots beyond the standard two are required by a business.
The proposal was approved 4-0 by the City Council’s Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last month. It is scheduled for a vote by the full council on either Nov. 2 or Nov. 3, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Todd Gloria.
Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who chairs the committee and represents downtown, said he sympathizes with businesses facing higher fees.
But he suggested keeping those fees down is less important than making sure hotels have the ability to claim additional valet spots if they need them.
“The policy enables valet services to remain possible while enabling the city to recover the true cost of lost parking revenue,” Whitburn said.
He said the hotels make enough money to cover the higher costs. “The collection of valet parking revenue results in some pretty significant revenue,” he added.
Christiansen, the Mission Beach restaurant owner, considers the fee hike for street dining a huge mistake.
“It’s a ridiculous increase by a tone-deaf city,” said Christiansen, who has operated Guava Beach Bar & Grill for 23 years.
With the city’s minimum wage still rising incrementally and costs for food and energy going up, he said the city shouldn’t charge more for street dining spots when restaurants are barely surviving.
“We can’t absorb anymore costs — we are teetering,” he added. “It’s going to be a rude awakening for the city when restaurants start to close. Boarded-up buildings are a bad look for tourists.”
The Little Italy Association, whose businesses would be some of those most affected, declined requests for an interview.
San Diego County will be the center of NASCAR nation this weekend, with fans flocking to Naval Base Coronado for three days of events.
This is the first-ever Cup race held in San Diego County and the NASCAR community is also presenting it as its way of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
Tickets are completely sold out, but locals can still get in on the fun at various event and activities taking place across the region.
Here’s what to know about this one-of-a-kind weekend in San Diego. Full coverage of NASCAR San Diego Weekend can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/nascar.
What is NASCAR San Diego Weekend?
The three-day event begins with Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, continues with an O’Reilly Auto Parts series race on Saturday and wraps Sunday with the Anduril 250.
Grandstands with a capacity for 40,000 fans have been erected, with another 10,000 spectators expected to occupy standing areas around the grounds.
Here’s a turn-by-turn look at Naval Base Coronado’s race circuit
When is it taking place?
Parking lots, which are on base, open each day at 7 a.m. and gates open at 9 a.m.
The Craftsman Truck Series takes place Friday at 4 p.m. The O’Reilly Auto Parts series race blasts off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main event, NASCAR Cup Series Race, happens Sunday at 1 p.m.
A race-by-race look at NASCAR’s San Diego Weekend
Each day will also feature entertainment, driver Q&As and other activities.
Where is it?
Naval Base Coronado will host the weekend’s activities. All fans in attendance must carry a valid government-issued photo ID at all times.
Going to this weekend’s NASCAR races in Coronado? Here’s what you need to know
All event parking will be located on Naval Base Coronado. There is no event parking available within the city of Coronado.
Who is racing?
Shane Van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, Mike McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs are just a few of the names to expect this weekend. A full lineup can be found at nascarsandiego.com/nascar-san-diego-mission-lineup.
These 13 Cup racers could all win Sunday’s Anduril 250 in Coronado
How to watch on TV:
Craftsman Trucks Series race: 4 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race: 2 p.m. Saturday on The CW
NASCAR Cup race: Sunday at 1 p.m. on Prime Video
Local events:
San Diegans have a range of options for getting in on the fun of NASCAR weekend in Coronado, including meet and greets with drivers, watch parties and fan zones.
Your guide to fan events during NASCAR San Diego Weekend
More coverage:
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Final preparations are underway for NASCAR’s historic race weekend at Naval Base Coronado, where stock cars will compete on an active military installation for the first time in the sport’s history.
Crews, race teams, military personnel, first responders and event staff spent Thursday putting the finishing touches on the temporary road course as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the base for the inaugural event.
“The countdown is on,” as organizers work to transform portions of the installation into a race venue unlike any NASCAR has hosted before.
“It’s a very proud moment for NASCAR and myself and my company for being part of it,” said Jordan Litchko, a NASCAR production partner with ignition production. “It’s the America 250, so what a year to celebrate and be here on the naval base.”
Officials say the event marks the first time a NASCAR national series race has been held on a military base, bringing one of America’s most recognizable motorsports directly onto a working military installation.
Unlike traditional oval tracks, competitors will tackle a temporary road course built specifically for the event.
“It’s a road course race, which adds way more excitement, so it’s going to be ultra challenging,” Litchko said.
Thursday’s preparations included long lines of team members, vendors, staff and emergency personnel picking up credentials and completing security and base access requirements ahead of race weekend.
Meanwhile, drivers and crews got their first close look at the unique layout, which winds through portions of the base and presents a challenge far different from a conventional speedway.
With large crowds expected throughout the weekend, organizers are encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Traffic delays are anticipated around Naval Base Coronado and nearby access points as spectators arrive for the event.
After months of planning and construction, the wait is nearly over.
On Friday, engines will roar to life aboard Naval Base Coronado, marking a milestone moment for NASCAR and creating a new chapter in the sport’s history. By the weekend’s end, fans will witness a race unlike any ever held before — stock cars competing on a military base in the heart of San Diego.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego is beginning to install 286 metered parking spaces this week in downtown San Ysidro in an effort to increase parking turnover, it was announced Thursday.
To develop the plan, city leaders worked with the San Ysidro business community. Revenue collected from the meters is reserved for transportation, parking and safety improvements in San Ysidro.
“Feeding parking meters feeds neighborhood repairs, and we can’t wait to get to work for the San Ysidro community,” said Naomi Chavez, interim director of the city’s Transportation Department. “This new parking zone will bring long overdue change that will help support local business activity and generate revenue that will be reinvested directly into improving neighborhood quality of life in San Ysidro.”
Crews began preparing the bases for the meters last week and installation work is expected to last through June. According to the city, these will be multi-space meter kiosks and drivers should be aware that they will need to go to the nearest kiosk to pay for parking since there won’t be a meter at each space.
Metered parking goes into effect on July 1 and will be enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. The parking rate is $2.50 an hour, with a maximum time limit of four hours.
City-led parking studies determined vehicles were parking on the streets of the neighborhood for hours or days at a time, making street parking for the area’s businesses scarce.
Drivers who customarily use free street parking when traveling across the border to Mexico are encouraged to use “one of the many paid off-street parking lots in the area,” a city statement read.
“The findings [of the parking study] clearly demonstrate the need for action. High parking occupancy on unregulated segments, along with data showing that 37% of vehicles exceed the existing two-hour limit and an average parking duration of over five hours, indicate that current conditions reduce turnover and limit access for local businesses and visitors,” wrote Alfredo Ripa, president of the San Ysidro Community Economic Development Corporation. “The proposed introduction of approximately 286 metered spaces, along with better signage, clearer designations and continued enforcement, represents a thoughtful and data-driven approach to improving parking availability and supporting economic activity in the community.”
Areas where the meter kiosks will be installed include:
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Border Village Road to Camino De La Plaza (both sides);
— Border Village Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard (north) to East San Ysidro Boulevard (south), (both sides);
— Front Street between Border Village Road to end of cul-de-sac (south side);
— Bolton Hall Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (south side);
— Louisiana Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to end of cul-de- sac (south side);
— Virginia Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (both sides); and
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Willow Road and East Park Avenue (south side).
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