This Michigan Lakeside Resort Community is Experimenting with Paid Parking – it’s Not Going Well

Nearly every city of any size struggles with parking. All cities want growth in their core downtowns. But in our car-driven society, more people in a place almost always means more cars. And they have to park somewhere.

That need for parking means lots or garages or on-street parking. The on-street answer to parking often lends itself to long term parkers who may live or work in a downtown versus visitors coming in to shop, eat or be entertained.

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In the southwest Michigan resort town of St Joseph, the city has established paid parking for its downtown district, a major change for visitors who come to enjoy the amenities of Lake Michigan.

News reports and social media are calling the pilot program as "deeply unpopular." With commenters sharing:

The city literally doesn't care about businesses or employees. It is true we don't get as much local business in summer, we do get some because we have some unique businesses downtown but it isn't just locals to St. Joe. We get lots of visitors from northern Indiana, from Kalamazoo area etc. They will head to South Haven or Holland.

The point on the parking situations is well made. Neither SoHa nor Holland charge visitors to park in their downtown areas.

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The point on the parking situations is well made. Neither SoHa nor Holland charge visitors to park in their downtown areas.

The paid parking scheme will only run during the summer months.

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