Grosse Pointe Woods to start offering parking meter payment via app

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Paying for parking will soon get easier for anyone visiting businesses in Grosse Pointe Woods.

City Planner Ashley Jankowski, of McKenna, said during a March 25 Woods Planning Commission meeting that the Woods would soon be using the mobile app offered by Passport Parking, meaning people won’t have to dig through their pockets or vehicle in search of spare change anymore.

“It’s an exciting development coming,” Jankowski said.

In an email interview, Assistant City Administrator Susan Como said implementation of the app comes at the request of both Woods residents and business patrons.

She said visitors will still be able to feed meters manually with change, even after use of the app becomes available.

“The app functions by dividing the city meters into zones, which will be clearly identified with signage and stickers from the company,” Como wrote. “When a patron parks and chooses to use Passport, they can open the app or webpage, enter the zone in which they are parked, and provide their license plate number. 

“Patrons who choose to use the app will incur an additional $0.35 charge, in addition to the city’s standard rate,” she continued. “For instance, if the city charges $0.25 for every 30 minutes then using the app will cost $0.60 for the same duration.”

The app allows users to add money to their meter remotely if, for example, an appointment or meal goes longer than expected. The app sends an alert to users when their parking session is close to ending, enabling them to add more money, if needed. Those who pay for their parking with coins have to return to their parking spot with change if they need more time on their meter and don’t want to risk getting a ticket for an expired meter.

Grosse Pointe City and Grosse Pointe Park are among the more than 800 municipalities nationwide that use Passport. Other Michigan cities that use this app include Ferndale and Ann Arbor.

“Each (parking) space will get a unique number so you can pay with the app,” Planning Commission Vice Chair Doug Hamborsky said.

Como said this project will be completed in the next couple of months. She said the cost to the city is a one-time fee of $2,000 for two mobile devices for use by parking enforcement officers, along with a $375 monthly software licensing fee.

“Moving to Passport Parking is a great option that gives people the convenience of paying through the app while still offering the traditional option of using coins,” Como wrote. “It’s the best of both worlds.”