It Starts.

[shinblind]

Kiosks in Muskegon to collect fees to enter the beach is currently being considered.

Free to city residents, $5 a day and $7 on Saturdays or an annual pass of $25 is initially being proposed. How long before the old guard city council tries this as a Ludington sees Ludington do's copy cat process.

It helps explain the eagerness to get the Splash Pad jammed into Copeyon Park along with the other ''improvements''.

I have seen this implemented in other cities. First as being free to locals, then charging a nominal fee for city residents and slightly higher for county residents. Followed by nicking the locals even more to level the playing field with the tourists.  Certainly a pass should be available for those renting a room or traveling on the Badger. 

If you think you can get around it by parking in the neighborhood and walking in see how fast an ordinance passes before that area becomes limited parking hours.

And if you think you can walk in or bike in, wait until they wall off the park for your own benefit.

https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2020/01/paid-parking-proposed-f...

 

[AQUAMAN]

Bunch of Pure BS imho. And like said here, Ludington will probably take notice to copy cat this too, just like so many other silly ideas elsewhere.

[XLFD]

It's going forward.   "On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the city commission voted to execute a purchase order on 20 kiosks from the company Flowbird to be installed along Beach Street up through Margaret Drake Elliott Park which will collect fees from non-Muskegon residents visiting Muskegon’s flagship beach."  

Those kiosks aren't cheap, so if the consumers of parking change their beachgoing habits and the city commission decides that a wise course would be to remove the kiosks, the local taxpayers are screwed.

[XLFD]

This may come to pass at some point in the future, but I honestly do not see more than two of the current city councilors voting for this idea.  I think this is even less popular than the 1% Property Tax Administrative Fee among the townsfolk as well.  It would also significantly reduce the City's chances for DNR grants in the future to implement their other phases of the west end project. 

Can't have that.  But once they ruin Stearns Park with all of their 'improvements' locals will probably be going to all of the other 'free' beaches in the area; the tourists will soon follow.

[shinblind]

Revenue Revenue Revenue.

Being sold as free or inexpensive to locals would be a huge selling point. 

As long as the water levels remain high there is a limited amount of beach options available.

Grant money will still be available as long as they allow alternate methods to enter other than driving.

The entrance fee would include access to Stearns Park, the Kayak Trail and Copeyon Park.  It could be coupled in as free or at a reduced price with room rentals and carferry passage. 

Never underestimate the greed or intelligence of the old guard city council.

[woodsman]

Nothing is free forever and greed never stops. In 5 years rates will double and resident's be paying what non's are. Will have some statement like the Kiosks revenue is not paying the expensive's so we unfortunately have to raise the rate. Just a few years before everything was free and had been since the beginning of the parks. Government never has enough and can never get along on less but expect us to always get along on less. 

[XLFD]

Mark today on your calendars, because I am going to be thankful for the hapless and ridiculous West End Project for this one thing, and tomorrow I just might take it back.

Michigan DNR Trust Fund grants primarily funded the WEP, they have a stipulation in standard contracts for parks containing DNRTF-backed facilities that they can't charge one class of people (such as non-residents) for parking and not another class (such as residents).  In Ludington's case, the contract did not allow residents to pay less than half of what they would charge non-residents for parking.  Ergo, they could not allow residents to park for free, unless they also allowed non-residents to park for free.

Muskegon may have a similar 'forgotten' restriction if they have ever received DNRTF grants, but one thing is for certain here in Ludington.  The city council cannot threaten beach parking fees for non-residents without threatening locals with at least half of the same amount in fees.  

[shinblind]

The way it reads;

''A. 'No planned entrance fee; OR Site will be readily accessible by methods other than the automobile and there will be no entrance fee when using these alternative methods to get to the park (e.g., public transportation, bicycle, walk-in); OR There will be an entrance fee with partial or complete waiver available and the waiver policy is likely to be effective in bringing people with low incomes into the park.''

''B. There will be an entrance fee with partial or full waiver but effectiveness in bringing people with low incomes into the park is questionable; OR Park entrance fee will be waived, reduced, or by-donation-only on a regular basis for all users.''

So as long as you can walk, bike, crawl or use other means the get into the park the DNR would be satisfied.
OR if offer a senior discount or bridge card discount or other means test for a  reduced fee you will be meeting the requirements.

The fix is in, just a matter of when.

[AQUAMAN]

The Stearns family that donated the beach frontage never envisioned the local people to ever have to pay to enjoy this park, that's why they donated it to begin with. Otherwise, there would be no public beach, but more lakeshore homes built there, like the rest of the lakeshore both north and south. I don't know what Muskegon's situation is on that, but I assume it's different than Ludington. Every time some nitwit at city hall starts this kind of idea up, the Stearns family attorney has to step in and remind them of the stipulations that bound them in this ownership. I guess we'll have to wait and see what transpires into the future now, but I hope it's a mute issue for us.

[Willy]

At first it will be for parking then comes the hammer.