St. Joe Parking Pause Reaction

SAINT JOSEPH, Mich. -- Downtown St. Joseph residents and visitors can park for free again, at least for now.

The city has temporarily halted its new paid parking program after significant backlash from local businesses, shoppers, and community members.

Though the parking signs remain, the payment kiosks are currently covered in trash bags, signaling a pause in enforcement.

One key issue that led to the pause involves several kiosks being placed on medians that don’t meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility standards.

City officials say there’s no set timeline for when paid parking will resume. They have begun working with a consultant to assess the situation and will engage with the public before making any future decisions.

Brian Maynard, owner of Forte Coffee, shared his perspective following the decision, “The decision to put it on pause for now really, in my view, didn’t have anything to do with whether people thought this was a good idea or a bad idea.”

Even though paid parking is on hold, the city will continue to enforce the existing three-hour parking limits downtown.