San Diego hotel and restaurant owners are balking at a city proposal to charge them steeply higher fees for their valet parking spaces and on-street outdoor dining areas.

City officials say the hikes are justified, because San Diego loses revenue when parking spots that could otherwise have meters are devoted to other uses like dining or valet parking drop-off and pickup.

But critics, including the county lodging association and merchant groups, say the hikes could prompt some restaurants to eliminate on-street dining altogether and force hotel guests to clog streets by double parking.

One Mission Beach restaurant owner said Tuesday the city can’t keep raising fees and costs on a struggling industry and not expect a rash of closures. “We are teetering,” said Eric Christiansen, the owner

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