San Diego Enacts Permit Fee for Oversized Vehicles to Park on City Streets

A proposed $1.25 per permit fee that allows oversized vehicles to park overnight on San Diego streets received a unanimous green light from the City Council's Budget Committee Thursday.

An ordinance that restricts the parking of large recreational vehicles, trailers and boats during the overnight hours was passed by the City Council last July. It was drawn up in response to numerous homeowner complaints that such vehicles block views and create traffic hazards when left along curbsides in residential neighborhoods.

The law—spearheaded by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a councilman at the time—prohibits the parking of oversized vehicles between 2 and 6 a.m. and within 50 feet of an intersection at any time. Exceptions will be in place for delivery trucks and school buses and residents will be able to apply for permits for recreational vehicles to park for 24 hours, giving owners time to load and unload for trips.

The restrictions have taken almost a year to implement for a variety of reasons, one of which was that city officials needed time to find an online vendor to process permit requests.

Online permitting was expected to be available to the public by July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, according to a staff report.

The report said that, based on experience in the city of El Cajon, San Diego should expect to issue 36,500 permits annually.

City crews will begin installing 260 street signs about the ordinance next month, the report says.

The $1.25 fee and some amendments to the ordinance are scheduled to go before the full City Council in a few weeks. The amendments remove language that noted a need for the state Coastal Commission's blessing for the restrictions in beach areas -- a requirement that turned out to be unnecessary, according to the mayor's office.

City staff expects the restrictions to take effect in the middle of August, which will provide the public with a grace period.

—City News Service