Lansing council adopts new meter fines, restructures on-street rates and narrows enforcement hours

The Lansing City Council approved a package of parking changes on May 11 intended to increase turnover of on-street spaces and give motorists more time to pay reduced fines. Councilmembers adopted a resolution to change the expired-meter fine structure and an ordinance expanding the window to pay the reduced violation rate until midnight on the day the ticket is issued; they also approved a separate ordinance shortening enforcement hours to 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Councilmember Carter said the measures are designed to encourage motorists who need extended parking to use ramps and to free street spaces for short-term visitors. "The intention is to encourage motorist compliance and discourage overall expired-meter violations," Carter said, describing the changes as part of committee recommendations and a broader pilot program to test a free 15-minute kiosk parking option and app-based processing.

Several councilmembers and members of the public urged caution. Councilmember Costa said she understands the goal but raised concerns about increasing fines while related mitigations (a 15-minute free option, app pilot and designated loading zones) remain in development. She asked whether a more generous reduced-payment window (72 hours) could be adopted; the city attorney cautioned that substantially different language could require a new public hearing.

Mayor Andy Schor told viewers the changes do not raise short-term parking costs for brief stops. "From 0 minutes to 1 hour, it doesn't change. From 1 hour to 2 hours, it doesn't change," he said, adding that price step-ups begin after two hours to encourage use of ramps for long stays. The council was told staff hopes to implement 15-minute free parking at kiosks by the start of the fiscal year, contingent on a contract amendment with the vendor and a budgeted pilot to measure processing costs for app transactions.

On the ordinances and resolutions: the expired-meter reduced-rate payment-window ordinance was adopted on a roll-call vote, 6–1; the revised enforcement-hours ordinance (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) passed 7–0. The parking-rate-restructure resolution passed on voice vote.

Councilmembers said the council will monitor pilot results and revisit details if needed. The changes take effect under the city ordinance schedule and will be reflected in enforcement practices after the city finalizes vendor contract amendments and the pilot program logistics.