Paid seasonal parking coming to downtown St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mich.-- Roughly 30 parking payment machines were installed along Lake Boulevard and the rest of downtown St. Joseph, west of Main Street, on Wednesday. The city has implemented paid parking between May 15 and Sept. 15.

It's a deeply unpopular program with St. Joseph locals, ABC57's Annie Kate reported, but especially business owners, who worry locals will avoid downtown this summer.

"It's like, how is this going to help my business when I don't feel like my clients should have to pay to park to come and get their hair done?" said Jennifer Fillwock, owner of Statements Style Lounge.

"I heard that you already have people canceling appointments this summer, is that true?" asked Annie Kate.

"We have," Fillwock said. "There are not a lot of happy people about the paid parking situation."

This affects all parking west of Main Street in downtown St. Joseph. Currently, there are two-hour street parking spaces and free all-day lots.

Starting May 15 and ending Sept. 15, street parking is two dollars an hour for up to three hours, and the lots are one dollar an hour for up to twelve hours.

Parkers can pay in 15-minute increments at the parking machines, installed Wednesday afternoon, or via the Passport mobile app. Both options use your license plate number.

Everything east of Main Street remains free.

City Manager Emily Hackworth told ABC57 this plan will reduce congestion downtown and increase turnover, which would increase foot traffic.

While unpopular with locals, the new parking program was approved unanimously by both the city council and the downtown development authority (DDA).

Brian Maynard, who owns Forte Coffee, is on the DDA. Right now, he said, many beachgoers clog the downtown parking during the busy tourist season.

"The rest of the time it's still free. It's only 4 months. And it's only west of Main Street," Maynard said. "It will bring in a net of about $600,000 a year. That's after everything has been paid for. And that money, 80 percent of it must be used in the district."

The infrastructure investment is about $300,000 from the city, and the revenue generated from the parking will pay it back.

Still, many, like resident Cindy Haigler, do not think paid parking in St. Joseph is a good idea.

"The businesses, I mean, they need to survive. And to put paid parking, I think, will discourage people, especially seniors," Haigler said.