City consultants recommend tiered downtown parking, new pay stations and more accessible spaces

City planning staff and parking consultant Mission North gave an informational presentation to the Kalamazoo City Commission Committee of the Whole on June 2, 2025, recommending a three‑part approach to improve downtown parking availability: tiered on‑street pricing, modern pay stations and expanded barrier‑free spaces.

Christina Anderson, deputy Community Planning & Economic Development director and city planner, introduced Rob Boccagalupi (parking consultant, Mission North), who said the presentation’s "overriding goal" is "making sure that there's parking where people wanna park," and that the work is driven by a desire to improve availability.

Mission North described a data‑driven approach that uses an 85% occupancy threshold to identify blocks that feel full and therefore need pricing to improve turnover. The consultant recommended a premium zone, a base‑rate zone and free parking areas, and proposed changes in some blocks where recent demand increased (notably in a southwest portion of downtown) while easing pricing on parts of East Michigan Avenue.

The presentation covered equipment and budget details. Staff said pay stations installed at the Kalamazoo Mall in November gave usage data showing roughly two‑thirds of payers use smartphone mobile pay, about one‑third use a physical credit card and roughly 2% still use coins. City materials cited a meter‑purchase allocation of about $367,000 and said the city expects that amount will not fully cover the number of pay stations recommended; recycled single‑head meters would be used where pay stations are not economical.

On accessibility, the team said it applied the U.S. Access Board public right‑of‑way accessibility guidelines to downtown blocks and found gaps. The consultant said the city would likely need "in the neighborhood of a couple of dozen new barrier free spaces" on street to meet the standard. The presentation noted lessons learned from the Kalamazoo Mall roll‑out (signage, testing and a public grace period) and stressed public outreach before changes.

Commissioners raised concerns and questions about enforcement hours, deck usage and ADA compliance. Vice Mayor Hess asked whether the city has usage data for the parking decks' 90‑minute free period; the consultant said the deck is a closed system and counts show increased use since the 90‑minute free offering began. Commissioner Prater asked how a forthcoming arena and its anticipated 700,000–800,000 annual visitors might alter demand; the consultant said keeping areas in the paid zone and relying on real‑time data from pay stations and the mobile app will allow the city to evaluate impacts as they occur.

Commissioner questions also focused on ADA issues encountered during the Kalamazoo Mall installations; the consultant said compliance problems were largely due to snow‑melt infrastructure and that lower‑profile pay station models now in use or a small pedestal solution can meet ADA requirements while accommodating snow‑melt systems. The consultant added that the new pay stations are solar powered and can be unbolted and moved temporarily to accommodate nearby construction.

No formal action was taken at the Committee of the Whole; staff said the presentation was informational and outlined a 2025 timeline to continue block mapping, outreach, procurement of equipment and a phased rollout that will include testing, improved signage and a public grace period when enforcement changes occur.

Rob Boccagalupi and Christina Anderson said they will return with implementation details and recommended meter locations for commission review and public notice.