![\"Image](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/timesofsandiego.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_0856-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a>Parking meter rates will double on Jan.1, 2026 to $1.50 in the downtown Village parking area. (Photo by Sophia Sleap\/Times of San Diego) Credit: Sophia Sleap<\/p>\nThe owner of Maxwell\u2019s House of Books<\/a> keeps a giant pile of coins in a bowl by his register. That way, he\u2019s prepared for when customers need to dash out of his shop to top up their meters.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are constantly worried about feeding the meters. That\u2019s why I\u2019m already equipped,\u201d Craig Maxwell said.<\/p>\n But when parking fees increase to $1.50 an hour starting Jan. 1, he\u2019s concerned it will affect his business.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like their last consideration, their last priority \u2014 the city, that is \u2014 is the local merchants,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maxwell heard about the parking fee increase after the La Mesa City Council unanimously voted last Tuesday to increase parking permit and meter fees.\u00a0<\/p>\n Parking meter rates will go up to $1.50 in the downtown Village parking area, which presently ranges from 50 cents or 75 cents per hour. Parking permit fees are moving from a two-tiered system of $40 and $60 per quarter, to a single permit price of $80 per quarter.<\/p>\n Other business owners, however, weren\u2019t too concerned about the price hike.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey haven\u2019t raised it all, so I think a raise is fair,\u201d said Theresa Favro, owner of Amethyst Moon<\/a> and board member of La Mesa Village Association<\/a>. The parking meter fees have not been increased in 20 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n The increased meter and permit rates are expected to generate an additional $308,000 in revenue<\/a> to maintain and improve public parking facilities, streetscapes, and shared community spaces downtown.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mayor Mark Arapostathis said in a statement: \u201cThis update supports the long-term sustainability of the Parking Fund, which helps keep our Village area clean, safe, and welcoming for residents, businesses, and visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n The Community Parking Commission presented its recommendations to update the rates to the City Council in July after reviewing other regional parking rates and seeking community feedback through the La Mesa Village Association.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bigger concern: Parking availability\u00a0<\/p>\n Jacob Brittain, a recent graduate who lives in La Mesa, also wasn\u2019t too concerned about the parking meter increase \u2014 as long as it\u2019s cheaper than downtown San Diego.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt will become a problem if it continues to increase every year, like in San Diego,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s when it becomes an issue to me.\u201d<\/p>\n His main concern is how new apartment construction could affect parking in La Mesa.\u00a0<\/p>\n An apartment complex with 64 units<\/a> is currently under construction on Palm Avenue, with 29 on-site parking spaces. Across the street, an application is under review<\/a> for a development with 110 units and 73 parking spaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n Brittain said developers should be held accountable for providing enough parking for new units.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey would increase long-term parking permits for residents in the new apartment complex, rather than hold developers accountable for providing parking or doing transit-oriented design,\u201d Brittain said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maxwell and Favro were also concerned about the construction of new apartment complexes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re afraid that the parking down here is going to affect all of our businesses,\u201d said Favro. \u201cAnd then we\u2019ll have to lay off staff, and there\u2019ll be a huge snowball effect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n