Council Votes to Overhaul Mission Bay Boat Storage
San Diego proposes a lottery system and higher fees for Mission Bay sand-bar and mooring slots after a critical 2024 audit.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Gambling
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San Diego City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday, November 17, 2026, on proposed changes to the Mission Bay boat storage program, including a new lottery system and higher fees. The proposal follows a 2024 city audit that criticized vague rules, low fees, and poor record-keeping.
Why it matters
The audit found about 400 people on a waiting list while more than a third of slots sat open, and the city lost track of 139 of 270 sand-bar slots. The changes would reshape who gets access to boat storage on Mission Bay and what San Diego boaters pay for it.
The proposed sand-bar slot fee would roughly double from $171 to $347 per year, and the proposed mooring fee would rise from $808 to $1,244 per year. The council vote is Tuesday, and the lottery for the 270 sand-bar slots is planned for next year.
The players
San Diego City Council
The elected legislative body of the City of San Diego, which holds the scheduled vote on the proposed Mission Bay boat storage changes.
The details
The proposal would award sand-bar slots through a new lottery and require users to pay a combined fee covering both a sand-bar slot and an offshore mooring ball. The 270 sand-bar slots are spread across 12 locations along Mission Bay, and the city emailed permit holders and waitlisted people about the changes last Friday.
Timeline
2024: City audit criticized the Mission Bay boat storage program.
Friday before November 15, 2026: City emailed permit holders and waitlisted people about the proposed changes.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026: City Council scheduled to vote on the proposed changes.
2027: Lottery for the 270 sand-bar slots planned.
Season Trajectory
The proposed overhaul is a direct response to the 2024 city audit, which found the Mission Bay program lacked clear rules and accurate records. The changes would replace the program's existing allocation with a lottery and raise fees to levels the city has not charged before.
Boaters with sand-bar or mooring slots would face a substantial annual fee increase under the proposal. Waitlisted residents may gain a chance at a slot through the new lottery rather than the current waiting list.
The takeaway
Public boat storage on Mission Bay is shifting from a waitlist-and-billing system to a lottery with significantly higher fees. Boaters should watch Tuesday's vote and the 2027 lottery details.
What happens next
City Council votes Tuesday, November 17, 2026, and the lottery for the 270 sand-bar slots is planned for 2027.
Further reading
For more on how cities allocate limited public recreation resources, see Gambling coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Diego Union-Tribune.
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