Special Program Balboa Park Parking & Circulation Jack - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Special Program Balboa Park Parking & Circulation Jack Carpenter

Original Park Design • No cars in the plazas • No cars on the Prado • Access primarily by street cars on Park Boulevard and Laurel Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

What Has Changed in 50 Years? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Removal of cars on El Prado east (1972 / 1978) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Transfer of Navy Hospital lot (Inspiration Point) back to Balboa Park (1988) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Removed cars and create turn around at Plaza de Panama (2013) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Old Town Trolley service (exclusive until 2013) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Green tram system introduced (2013) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

San Diego Zoo employee garage (650 spaces; 2015) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Recent Trends • Greater emphasis on mitigating impact of climate change (City of San Diego Climate Action Plan, updated 2015) • Greater sensitivity to addressing accessibility challenges in public parks • Increased use of bicycles and E-scooters • Emergence of ride sharing (Uber & Lyft) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

New Opportunity Plaza de Panama project broke the barrier of only free parking with the possibility of funding garages with revenue bonds Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

What Has Been Planned? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Jones & Jones (2004) Available on FoBP website Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Civitas (2006) Available on FoBP website Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Parking garage behind Spreckels Organ Pavilion (“Plaza de Panama”) CANCELLED Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Palisades Plan (1992 Precise Plan) Available on FoBP website Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

South Palisades Plaza Reclamation Project (2019 Phase I) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Promenade Plan (2003 Precise Plan Amendment) Available on FoBP website Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Other Concepts (unapproved) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Comprehensive Redesign of Intra-park Tram System * * Reference tram circulation and frequency proposed by Jones & Jones (p 90) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

I-5 Freeway “lid” Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Federal Lot Lawn “Lid” Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Parking Garage in Gold Gulch Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Ron Roberts “Skytram” gondola Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Return of Balboa Park Street Cars (historic reproductions) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Anticipated Future Demands on Parking and Access Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Increased general park attendance (currently 13M annually) Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

New Comic-Con Museum (2021 full opening) Rehabilitation of Starlight? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Impact of Comic-Con Museum: 1. Extended hours in the park (evening activation) 2. Comic-Con’s appeal to demographics new to Balboa Park 3. Surge attendance during Comic-Con convention (July) 4. Revitalization of Palisades as anchor destination Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

San Diego Zoo Growth and Lease Expansion Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Potential new uses at Inspiration Point Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

What Do We Want to Achieve? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

1. Develop a new study with the political will to implement it 2. Construct the Zoo’s garage (Promenade plan) 3. Remove cars from entire Palisades; explore options for existing Palisades parking offsets 4. Identify more opportunities to create more public open space 5. Elimination of “urban heat islands” (surface parking lots) 6. Explore garage in Gold Gulch and turn the existing Organ Pavilion lot into park land / picnic area 7. Explore potential parking garages at Inspiration Point Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Proposal Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

1. Friends of Balboa Park will accept the leadership role to serve as a catalyst to involve other interested parties, to get them out of their silos and work together 2. Strictly exploratory 3. No FoBP funds to be expended 4. Limit staff administrative time with volunteer leadership (Jack Carpenter) and coordination Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Why Friends of Balboa Park? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

1. Friends of Balboa Park has a reputation for getting things done 2. Closely aligned with Parks & Recreation Department, both formally and informally 3. Strong political capital 4. Strong connections to local planning community Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Who Will Help Us? Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Potential Collaborators 1. Parks & Recreation Department 2. Committee of One Hundred 3. Pete Ellsworth, Legler Benbough Foundation 4. San Diego Zoo 5. Balboa Park Conservancy 6. Estrada Land Planning 7. Balboa Park Cultural Partnership 8. City Council District 3 Balboa Park Parking & Circulation

Potential Contributors 1. Urban Land Institute 2. NewSchool of Architecture 3. American Institute of Architects 4. Environment + Design Council 5. Society of Landscape Architects 6. San Diego Foundation Balboa Park Parking & Circulation