St. Joseph seeks public input as Paid Parking returns for Summer

ST. JOSPEH, Mich. -- Free parking remains in place across downtown St. Joseph for now, but city leaders are already planning for the return of paid parking and want residents and business owners to help shape what that program will look like.

Currently, parking along the city’s downtown free, with a three-hour time limit. That policy is currently set to change on Memorial Day, when the city reinstates paid parking, a program that was suspended early during the 2025 summer season.

Mayor Brook Thomas said city leaders want to make sure the revised program works for both residents and businesses, which she said are most directly affected.

“If residents are happy or not happy with this program, the businesses are the ones directly affected by this,” Thomas said. “So, we want to make sure it’s as seamless as possible.”

The city is hosting a series of open houses to preview what the summer 2026 parking map could look like. One of the most significant proposed changes is a reduction in the number of paid parking spaces.

Mayor Pro Tem Michael Fernandez said the updated plan spreads free parking into more areas, compared with last year’s rollout.

“Last year was very heavily focused on paid parking in one specific area,” Fernandez said. “What we have before us here is a lot more free parking in more areas.”

City leaders say the proposal eliminates paid parking lots entirely and reduces paid on-street spaces by more than 600. Officials believe the compromise will help keep high-demand parking available during peak tourist season while still allowing locals and customers access to downtown businesses.

Thomas said the goal is to prevent people from occupying prime parking spots all day long.

“What some people were doing is parking in these hot spots, in our most desirable parking spots, and sitting there all day long,” he said. “It was cheaper to get a parking ticket and then go to the beach than it was to actually pay and go to the beach.”

While some downtown business owners have called for paid parking to be eliminated altogether, supporters say the program provides an important source of funding for the city. 80 percent of the revenue generated from parking meters would be reinvested into the downtown benefits district.

Thomas said misinformation online has fueled confusion around the program, and she encouraged residents to attend meetings and ask questions directly.

“There’s a lot of misinformation online,” he said. “This is what’s actually happening. Come to commission meetings, come to these information sessions. We want to know what works and doesn’t work.”

Residents are encouraged to attend future sessions, which will take place on the second floor of City Hall.

• Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2-4 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 9, 5-7 p.m.
• Tuesday Feb. 10, 5-7 p.m.