Fines for parking violations increased

(ST. CLAIR COUNTY) – If you are planning on heading to any beaches in the Port Huron area, be sure and pack your wallet with you, in case you leave your car in prohibited zones in one section of the city – an $80 hike in fines.

Previously, the cost of the cited violation for parking in a no-parking zone, which are common in the city’s neighborhoods surrounding Lakeside and Lighthouse parks, and the price for non-St. Clair County residents to park in designated beach lots was the same.

Officials have said they run into issues with visitors ignoring rules when lots were full, and this week, City Council members signed off on a policy change that would raise the citation fee from $23, including a $3 process fee, to $103 to deter the practice.

The change only applies around the major beach parks, during the summer and not citywide. According to the violation policy update, the non-parking zone would apply to an area bound by Elmwood Street, Krafft Road, and Gratiot Avenue between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays.

City officials say for both the summers of 2020 and 2019, the number of no-parking violations in residential beach areas was over 100.