Kalamazoo votes to pause updates to city’s parking ordinance

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Kalamazoo City Commission debated an ordinance to make changes that would allow future rate increases, extend hours meters could be enforced, and provide for an overnight on street parking permit system on downtown streets.

Monday night, commissioners voted to pause the updates to the ordinance.

Maximum rates for meters would increase from $1.75 to $2.00. The changes started last fall when the city started offering 90 minutes of free parking in city owned downtown ramps. Rate increases and added meters on The Mall would offset the cost of that parking.

Several commissioners were opposed to making the changes now due to construction downtown.

“I think we gotta pause on this. I think in the long run, this is a good way to go. But right now, I believe this is not the time … I just don’t think this is the right time, I’m not going to vote for this,” Commissioner Don Cooney said.

City Planner Christina Anderson said the changes will actually be a benefit to downtown businesses who are struggling.

“There are studies both here and across the country, cities the same size as us, bigger, smaller, that show that managing the system and managing it well will one, help improve customers getting to businesses. So, if you do not manage on-street parking spaces, they can get misused, they can be used all day by contractors, employees, residents, and then those spaces are not available for downtown businesses,” said Anderson.

The ordinance would not have immediately raised rates and the kiosks planned for the Kalamazoo Mall are still set to be installed later this month. Commissioners wanted to break the ordinance up in to smaller parts dealing with the issues of rate increases and overnight parking separately. The city planner will rework the ordinances and bring them back at the Aug. 12 meeting.

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