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Oversized Vehicles

San Diego Unified Port District (SDUPD) Code Section 8.09 regulates the parking of vehicles, oversized vehicles, trailers, and vehicles with boat trailers on Shelter Island.

Shelter Island Shoreline Park

Man taking a photo from the pier of the speedboat on the bright blue water under light blue skies

Oversized Vehicle & Parking Ordinance Updates

The Port of San Diego has updated San Diego Unified Port District (SDUPD) Code Sections 8.09 and 8.11, which regulate parking along the San Diego Bay waterfront. Oversized vehicles include recreational vehicles, campers, trailers, and boat trailers. Amendments include an updated and clarified definition of an oversized vehicle, expanded oversized vehicle rules to include all Port areas around the San Diego Bay waterfront, and designated areas where oversized vehicles will and will not be permitted to park.

The Port’s goals are to improve public access to the bayfront, protect views of the bay, protect landscaping and the cleanliness of Port parks and parking areas, improve and maintain health and safety conditions, and offer a better balance of parking options for bayfront visitors and employees.

CLICK HERE TO VIEw OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING REGULATIONS ON TIDELANDS

Key Changes

Key amendments to the oversized vehicle parking regulations and administrative updates include:

  • Updating the definition of oversized vehicles to vehicles greater than 20-feet long OR 7-feet wide OR 7.5-feet tall (This will apply to most camper vans, campers, buses, vehicles converted into campers, and other recreational/camping vehicles)
  • Prohibiting oversized vehicles from standing, stopping or parking on Port tidelands where posted, except in designated oversized vehicle parking spaces, with some exceptions for commercial and service vehicles.
  • Expanding regulations from Shelter Island in San Diego to all of tidelands.
  • Converting 17 oversized vehicle parking spaces within Shoreline Park to regular parking spaces due to access, placement, and maintenance issues. The use of these spaces has resulted in significant damage to landscaping and curbs.
  • Preserving the 10 oversized vehicle parking spaces on Shelter Island Drive.
  • Preserving the designated parking for vehicles with attached boat trailers at all Port boat launch facilities.
  • Adjusting time limitations on parking in various areas.
  • Adding awnings, tents, and generators to the list of camping and personal items that are prohibited to be in parking spaces or adjacent driveways and sidewalks.
  • Imposing a no parking limit from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. in lots outside of Shoreline Park and along the streets (some areas are currently 3-4:30 a.m. others are 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.). This change is to help further regulate no overnight parking and to provide consistent rules throughout the island.
  • Clarifying where and when vehicles attached to boat trailers can park at the four boat launches on the bay, increasing standard parking availability by reducing some red curb (where public safety and access aren’t impeded) on Shelter Island Drive to gain additional standard parking spaces and loading zones for businesses on Shelter Island (for reference, a standard parking stall is approximately 18-20 feet in length and 8.5 - 9 feet wide).