City Manager Permit Procedure
San Diego Municipal Code § 63.0103
in effect§63.0103 City Manager Permit Procedure
Whenever doing any of the acts specified in this Article is conditioned upon obtaining a permit, permission, or consent from the City Manager, the following procedure shall be followed:
(a) An application for a permit shall be filed not less than ten (10) days before the date on which the proposed activity or event is to be conducted; however, the City Manager may consider any permit which is filed less than ten (10) days before the proposed activity is to take place;
(b) The application shall include information as to the proposed activity, the sponsoring person or organization, the number of persons expected to attend, the proposed park area to be used, the proposed date and time of the event, the duration in time, and the proposed alternate park areas and dates, if any;
(c) The City Manager shall within three (3) days after the filing of such application act thereon;
(d) The City Manager shall issue the permit, permission, or consent if there is capacity for the proposed activity, except as set forth in (1) through (3) below:
(1) An applicant for a Special Event, as defined in Chapter 2, Article 2, Division 40, to be held at a park, shall apply for a reservation of space, which, if granted, is effective until the Special Event Permit is granted or denied. The City Manager shall consider all requests for reservations of space filed at least 120 days before the date of the proposed event; however, the City Manager may consider any permit which is filed less than 120 days before the proposed event. A reservation of space may be granted after consideration of factors such as previously scheduled events at and adjacent to the requested location, the park capacity, impacts to the park that may be caused by the event, any restrictions on Special Events such as the Summer Moratorium, and any recommendation from the appropriate park advisory body. A permit as required by Chapter 6, Article 3 shall be issued concurrently with the Special Event Permit.
(A) There will be no reservations granted for Special Events in Balboa Park, Mission Bay Park, Presidio Park, or the Shoreline Parks, which are those parks contiguous to the shoreline or beach in the communities of Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla, during the Summer Moratorium, which is from the Saturday prior to Memorial Day and the preceding Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day, except for the following Special Events:
(i) Balboa Park: San Diego Pride Festival, AFC Half Marathon, Rock and Roll Marathon, Summer Concerts, Patrons of the Prado, Philippine Art Festival, Balboa Park 8 & 3 Mile Runs, 47th Balboa Park 4 Mile.
(ii) Mission Bay Park: Over the Line, Rock and Roll Marathon, Kai Elua.
(iii) Shoreline Parks: La Jolla Concert Series, Summer Fest, Taste at the Cove, Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-off.
(iv) Sports Leagues and Tournaments: Sports Leagues and tournaments may be permitted in athletic areas in Presidio Park, Robb Field, Santa Clara, Dusty Rhodes, Mission Bay Athletic Area (Bob McEvoy Fields), and Balboa Park.
(B) An applicant who seeks a waiver from this provision shall make a written request to the City Manager not less than 120 days in advance of the event, describing the Special Event and explaining why the waiver should be granted. Within 10 business days of the request, the City Manager shall place the item on the next available agenda for the appropriate park advisory committee. The City Manager shall issue a final decision within 10 business days after the vote by the park advisory committee.
(2) No permit, permission, or consent will be issued under this section for events occurring in Balboa Park, Mission Bay Park, Presidio Park or Shoreline Parks on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, including the following Saturday or Sunday when the holiday falls on Friday, or the preceding Saturday or Sunday when the holiday falls on a Monday, except for permits for sports leagues and tournaments, and for fireworks at Ellen Scripps Browning Park, Mission Bay, and Ocean Beach for the Fourth of July.
(3) Permits, permission, or consent required pursuant to the following sections shall be issued at the discretion of the City Manager: 63.08; 63.20.11; 63.20.16; 63.20.20; 63.25.11; 63.25.51; 63.25.52, 63.25.72; 63.0102(b)(4), (5), (7), (10), (12), (13), (14); and 63.0201. The City Manager shall consider applications for these activities filed 120 days in advance; however, the City Manager may consider any permit which is filed less than 120 days before the proposed activity. This section shall not apply to permits required pursuant to sections 63.08 and 63.0102(b)(3) for the discharge of fireworks, which shall be issued if there is park capacity for the event:
(e) Each permit shall state the date, time and area of the park for which it is issued, and the name of the person or persons to whom it is issued;
(f) Every such permit shall be subject to the provisions regarding noise contained in Chapter 5, Article 9.5, beginning with Section 59.5.0101 of this Code;
(g) If the application for a permit is denied, the applicant may submit a new request proposing an alternate date, time, or location;
(h) The City Manager shall notify the applicant in person or by mail of the decision granting or denying the application or alternative application. The City Manager, in denying an application, may authorize the gathering at such other date, time, or location as may be available, based on park capacity. If the applicant wishes to accept the proposed alternate date, time, or location, the applicant shall, within two days of receiving the City Manager’s notification, file a notice of acceptance with the City Manager. The City Manager shall thereupon issue a permit.
(i) Any parade proposed to be conducted in or through any park shall be subject to Chapter 2, Article 2, Division 40, of this Code.
(j) The City Manager may make such other rules and regulations as may be reasonably necessary for the implementation of Section 63.0103. These rules and regulations, including those determining park capacity, shall be based on objective standards, except for those approvals referenced in section 63.0103(d)(1)-(3). An application submitted under this Article is subject to the rules and regulations in place at the time the permit application is complete.
(Amended 11–18–1997 by O–18439 N.S.)
(Amended 5-26-2011 by O-20058 N.S.; effective 6-25-2011.)
(Amended 12-1-2011 by O-20111 N.S.; effective 12-31-2012.)
(Amended 6-29-2023 by O-21674 N.S.; effective 7-29-2023.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter06/Ch06Art03Division01.pdf#page=14Fetched: 10/28/2026