BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Clarkston restaurateur Curt Catallo said the city’s paid parking program seems successful, but the $6,460 collected in parking fines last month is worrisome.
“It’s surprised me, how much money that is,” Catallo said at the Sept. 10 City Council meeting. “I don’t like the optics of people fined for coming in to support businesses.”
Catallo researched surrounding communities and found they do not charge as much in ticket fines – Village of Milford has a monthly average of $3,166; Village of Lake Orion, $467 monthly average; Village of Oxford, monthly average of $166; and the City of Fenton does not issue parking tickets.
City Manager Jonathan Smith said Don Davis, Clarkston parking enforcement officer, issues most of the tickets to drivers parked in no-parking zones, impeding traffic, and over the two-hour time limit, which was created to increase turnover and help downtown businesses.
“He is not just out there to make revenue – he is talking to people, coaching and instructing people at the kiosk,” Smith said. “He’s working with business owners, asking them, what are your issues. He’s there to help. He’s not trying to be punitive.”
Mayor Steven Percival said the number of tickets will fall as people realize parking rules are enforced. Catallo was skeptical.
“I hope it comes down organically, not because less fish come to town,” he said.
Council member Jason Kneisc said he was open to adjusting the time limits after looking into local parking statistics.
Council member Sue Wylie said it’s too early to adjust fines and times.
Glenn Pape, executive director of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority/Main Street, said very few downtown Oxford parking spaces are time limited, so they only issue about 15 tickets a month downtown.
“We have over 600 free parking spaces in our downtown with no time limit,” Pape said.
Clawson collects most of its parking revenue from violations of the overnight parking ordinance, 2-6 a.m., said Clawson City Manager Mark Pollock.
“We strictly enforce no parking in the street during those hours,” Pollock said.
The Village of Milford currently has 449 public parking spaces. Of these, 116 are metered spaces, said Debby Frazer, Milford assistant manager/village clerk.
Parking meter receipts, not tickets, for August 2018 were about $3,300, Frazer said.
“For our fiscal year of July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018, we averaged $550 per month in parking tickets,” she said. “These would include expired meters, extended two-hour parking, and other parking violations, i.e. parking near a hydrant, blocking traffic, etc.”