Commission weighs garbage-day, alternate-side and temporary signage options to improve street cleaning

Mount Clemens staff and commissioners discussed options to reduce parked cars during street cleaning and improve the effectiveness of the city’s sweeper program.

City manager (referred to as Mr. Johnson) laid out three common approaches: a garbage-day parking prohibition (one weekday a week with no street parking), alternate-side parking (change which side may park based on calendar day and address), and temporary no-parking signage for scheduled sweeps. He said garbage-day rules are simple to remember but can conflict with collection trucks and leave some streets with containers in the roadway; alternate-side parking reduces the burden on residents but requires daily enforcement and can be confusing for residents; temporary signs are flexible but require labor to install and may be missed by residents.

Commissioners expressed a preference for the garbage-day approach for its simplicity while asking staff to examine enforcement logistics, coordination with DPS seasonal staffing (including positions approved in the budget and potential Michigan Works help), and notification strategies such as social media and scheduled publishing of sweep days.

Staff said street cleaning is typically done about six times per year for residential neighborhoods and that any program would require clear notice and enforcement to be effective. Commissioners asked Public Services staff to return with a proposed schedule, staffing plan and outreach plan if the commission wants to move forward with a garbage-day parking prohibition or a temporary-signage trial.