City of Rochester to Increase Parking Meter Rates from $1.00 Per Hour to $1.25 Per Hour

Rochester, Michigan – January 18, 2022 – At the November 23, 2021 City Council Regular Meeting, Council voted and approved a rate increase from $1.00/hour to $1.25/hour. This new rate will go into effect as of Tuesday, February 1, 2022.

Rochester City Council took several factors into consideration when approving this rate adjustment, including the following:

• Meters currently operating on 2G cellular technology are being phased out, which requires the City to update its system to 4G cellular technology.

• The City has received increased complaints about the condition of its current meters, including poor screen quality, stuck buttons and poor battery life, which requires constant upkeep by City ordinance officers.

• The City requires additional maintenance to maintain its current parking system, including lot striping, filling/repairing cracks, sealing lot surfaces, general repairs, etc.

• This is the first increase in parking rates for on-street meters and parking structures since 2014.

• The rate for monthly parking permits remains unchanged at $20 per month. Permits allow users to park at off-street parking meters or in either the East or West parking structure without needing to pay for parking at the meter. Permits can be purchased at City Hall.

To offset the increase Lot #1 will become a free lot adding 40 free parking spaces

The City considered several providers and factors before selecting Duncan Parking Technologies/Civic Smart 4G meters to replace its current 2G meters. The cost per Civic Smart meter is less per meter than other providers the City explored. Additionally, individual meters pose less potential problems than a pay station, which is another option the City considered. Pay stations can experience jams or downtime, resulting in a loss of revenue or parking capabilities for an entire lot or large area, whereas when a single meter malfunctions, only one space is affected.

Below are comparable costs of rates other neighboring cities are charging parkers at the meter:

• Birmingham: $1.00/hour or $1.50/hour, depending on location

• Royal Oak: $1.25/hour before 5:00pm and $1.50/hour after 5:00pm

• Ferndale: $1.00/hour

• Ann Arbor: $1.80 per hour meters and $1.20 per hour in parking decks

To offset this rate increase, the City of Rochester will continue to offer the initial one (1) hour free in the City’s two (2) parking structures. The parking structures are located on Walnut Street South of University and on East Street also South of University. The City will also be adding an additional free lot. (See attached map.) Lot #1 is located between Water Street and East Street, off University Drive. This lot adds 40 additional free parking spaces to the current 269 free spaces available in the City.

Current City of Rochester Parking Map prior to February 1st, 2022 rate increases

ABOUT THE CITY OF ROCHESTER
The City of Rochester is located in Oakland County, Michigan. As of 2020, Rochester has a population of 13,035. Rochester is governed by a seven-member City Council and its Mayor. City policy is administered by a full-time City Manager. The government provides full city services, including police, fire and water/sewer services, similar to many other communities in north Oakland County.

For questions regarding this rate increase, please visit the City of Rochester’s website at rochestermi.org or contact City Hall at 248-733-3700.

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Jan 20, 2022, Rochester.Life Staff