ST. JOSPEH, Mich. -- The city of St. Joesph Michigan is expecting another big crowd for the latest open house on its revised paid parking program downtown. The original plan rolled out last summer but was put on hold after vocal complaints from business owners, shoppers, and advocates for the disabled.
The city's goal is to spread more free parking to different areas in Saint Joe, while also reducing paid parking lots completely.
In addition, the city has a plan to take the amount of paid street spaces down to around 600. One of the problems the city has run into is people parking in the more popular spots near the beach for hours on end.
City officials say 80 percent of the money generated from the paid parking will be reinvested into the downtown benefits district.
Saint Joseph mayor Brook Thomas telling ABC57 everyone needs to park in the correct area so this can work.
"If we want more people to turn over and get to our downtown businesses, we want to incentivize them to park for the 1,2,3 hours, then get out so more customers can get in there and do their shopping in the downtown district. If you're going to the beach, park at the beach or somewhere that's an all day lot, don't take up those prime spots that people want to get into to go to the businesses," said Thomas.