Plans for paid parking at San Diego Zoo move forward

The San Diego City Council on Monday afternoon took a key step toward charging for parking at the San Diego Zoo.

The council passed an amendment to the zoo’s lease that allows the establishment to charge for parking at the so-called “zoo lot,” in addition to setting different rates for different kinds of parkers. Under its current lease, the zoo cannot charge varying rates for its members, city of San Diego residents, seniors or military members.

“I very, very much want us to prioritize residents when it comes to discounts, and that has to take precedence over tourists, and, quite frankly, residents of the county who live outside of the city,” Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said.

Many community members say they don’t like the idea, but the city expects to start charging in about a month.

“It’s kind of is a bummer right of the bat to get hit with a $20 charge when you’re going to have like this whole nice experience with your family,” one community member said.

According to city documents, the zoo approached the city about making the change at the zoo. The city has plans to start charging for parking at Balboa Park, and if the zoo lot stays free, there’s concern it could be a wild scene if parkgoers park there, taking spots from zoogoers.

In a statement, the San Diego Zoo said its team has been working in collaboration with the city to explore “timelines, potential exemptions, and other implementation details.”

“As part of a recent agreement with City Council, when paid parking is implemented in Balboa Park, we will offer complimentary parking for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance members at the Zoo. We are now working through next steps to align with the city and we will continue to ensure all guests are informed about updates and changes through the Zoo’s official communication channels,” a zoo spokesperson said in a written statement.

Some visitors say the extra fee could drive them away.

“I think they’re going to see a reduction in the number of people who come to see the zoo, which is a shame,” a resident said.

It’s still unclear how much parking would cost (the rates at Balboa Park are between $5 to $15, and parking is $20 a day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido) and whether there will be discounts for residents, though that appears to be the goal. It’s also unknown whether the zoo or the city will get the lion’s share of the money collected.