City Commission to consider meters, other parking measures on July 1

Finding an open parking space along the Kalamazoo Mall could soon become easier for motorists under traffic code changes — including installing meters later this summer to encourage quicker turnover of parking spaces near the downtown business district — set for consideration at the July 1 City Commission meeting. 

City staff have asked commissioners to adopt changes to Chapter 36 of the Traffic Code related to overnight parking, meter rates and operational hours of meters. The first of two required readings before adoption will appear on the City Commission’s July 1 agenda, with a second reading needed for final approval expected at the following meeting. 

These changes will support the installation of four meter kiosks to regulate parking along the Kalamazoo Mall, with two placed north of South Street and two more between South and Lovell streets, said Christina Anderson, City Planner and Deputy Director of Community Planning and Economic Development. Establishing pricing for the Kalamazoo Mall, along with other changes under consideration, is part of an effort to encourage more parkers to use the two nearby parking garages, where they can now park cost-free for 90 minutes. 

In addition to the new meters, the proposal also calls for establishing an overnight parking program for downtown residents and their guests and adjusting the cost and timing of some downtown parking to expand parking capacity and manage parking demand. 

“Installing parking meters along the Kalamazoo Mall has been part of the city’s overall plan to improve access to the business district for all residents and visitors,” said Assistant City Manager Rebekah Kik. “This stems from recommended best practices for Downtowns in the Retail Analysis done by Gibbs Planning Group. The project aligns with the city’s Streets for All plan to create a more connected city. We anticipate that the meters will result in more visitors who stop and shop at local businesses and venues.” 

Anderson called the parking proposals “a good fit for the Downtown” as the city engages in the first stage of a multiphase plan to create inviting public spaces and safer travel for all users by developing the Kalamazoo Mall into a more accessible destination space for residents and visitors. These changes, along with 90 minutes free in the ramps, were all noted in the Strategic Blueprint for 2019 Downtown Parking Plan and align with the “Downtown Life” chapter of the 2025 Master Plan. 

“Pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists and all those eager to visit the wonderful small businesses and dining venues in the area should have barrier-free easy and equal access,” Anderson said. “Sustaining and enhancing the vibrancy and long-term viability of our neighborhoods and business districts calls for removing barriers and opening space. That’s the goal of parking meters — to encourage quicker turnover and to welcome more visitors.” 

The meters will be installed and managed by Flowbird Group, a provider of curbside management and urban mobility solutions. The recommendations call for a multitiered pricing structure with a higher rate in high-demand locations and lower rates elsewhere, with meter rates at the Kalamazoo Mall and the two parking garages at $2 per hour and some meters in effect from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

The plan also includes a recommendation to expand overnight parking in downtown for residents and guests using a monthly permit system. 

In addition, city staff recommend adjusting the garage monthly rate to $115 and the lot monthly rate to $75, as well as updating the daily lot maximum to $5 in lots 1 and 20. 

Patrons will be able to pay at the kiosks using credit or debit cards, city-issued smartcards, Flowbird’s payment app or pay-by-text. The new parking kiosks will implement a “pay-by-plate” parking system, eliminating the need for users to display a receipt on their dashboard. Instead, users will simply need to input their license plate number into the kiosk. 

Rob Bacigalupi, the city’s parking consultant, cited a 2018 parking study that indicated parking meters could help promote economic development in downtown Kalamazoo by better managing space turnover and better utilizing available spaces in the Epic and Kalamazoo Mall parking garages. 

“There has long been a perception that it can be difficult to park in Kalamazoo, and the study confirmed that the issue is real and that pricing parking based on demand could be an effective and efficient method to open up needed parking spaces,” Bacigalupi said. 

The city has been offering 90 minutes of free parking at two downtown ramps — the Epic and Kalamazoo ramps — since late last year and will continue the program after the meters are installed, Bacigalupi said.