Ann Arbor raises expired parking meter fines to free up more street parking

Fines increased to $25, or $15 if paid on same day

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The city of Ann Arbor is making it more expensive to commit a parking violation, but will $5 make a real difference?

City officials hope the increased fine for parking meter violations will free up more street parking in Ann Arbor.

"I rarely find a street spot," one resident said. "This is literally the first time I've found a spot on the street."

The problem is people tie up street spaces for eight or nine hours while they go to work and don't bother putting money in the meter.

"Your fine should be higher than your cost of obeying the law," Ann Arbor City Council member Chuck Warpehoski said.

The discounted fine for an expired street meter will go from $10 to $15.

Starting Aug. 1, there will no longer be an advantage for long-term parking to skip the meter and pay the fine.

"We will know it's successful if our parking violations go down," Warpehoski said. "If people are feeding the meters, rather than taking the ticket, that's success."


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