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MOUNT CLEMENS — Following months of complaints about nonresidents parking along residential streets, the Mount Clemens City Commission voted on June 2 to move forward with an amendment that would allow for stricter parking restrictions.
The amendment to Ordinance No. 20.200, approved unanimously on its first reading and set to be back before the board for a second reading as early as Monday, June 16, would allow the city to establish what it calls “restricted residential parking permit zone(s).”
“This ordinance amendment proposes the designation of such zones in order to
reduce and alleviate parking congestion and hazardous conditions resulting from the
use of streets within residential areas for the parking of vehicles by nonresidents,” City Manager Gregg Shipman said. “The ordinance prohibits the parking of vehicles in such zones without a residential parking permit and prescribes the penalties for fraudulently obtaining any residential parking permit or parking sticker issued by the city as a misdemeanor.”
Drafted by Robert Huth, attorney for the city of Mount Clemens, the amendment gives the city the authority to establish such zones but does not establish any zones upon its passing. New zones would have to be approved by the City Commission.
The amendment comes after residents in the neighborhood to the east of the post office on Gratiot Avenue and South Main Street complained for months about postal workers parking along residential streets during the day. While the city attempted to work with the post office to resolve the issue, the effort was unsuccessful.
Commissioner Theresa McGarity made it clear that without residents continuing to bring the issue to the commission and the city, progress on dealing with the parking would not be where it is today. She and fellow Commissioner Erik Rick stressed that getting this work done does not happen overnight.
“The ship of state turns slowly. It takes time,” Rick said. “Just because you’re not seeing an answer now, or you’re seeing what looks like it’s not a full answer yet, there’s a whole team of people trying to make things better here.”
Pride Month
With the meeting being the commission’s first in June, Mayor Laura Kropp read a proclamation declaring the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in the city. Later in the meeting, commissioners shared their thoughts about the declaration.
“Almost everyone knows someone in their life who is a member of the community,” Commissioner Spencer Calhoun said. “You might be related to them, they might be a friend, it might be someone you work with. And especially now it is (important). Pride started off as a protest. It didn’t start as a party. It was a protest. People got together because they were being harassed and they stood up, and that’s still happening today. There are a lot of movements that are still going on that started off as a protest and kept the flame going. While there is time for everyone to celebrate and that’s what a lot of people see, there’s still a fight going on.”
According to a 2023 Pride Source article, Calhoun came to Mount Clemens after being kicked out of his home for being gay.
Kropp spoke about harassment she received on social media for her support of Pride Month and the city’s LGBTQ+ residents.
“As long as I am the mayor of the city, I just will not stand for any member of our community to not be welcomed and not be part of our community, to not feel part of our community,” Kropp said. “You can continue to throw insults my way, you can continue to throw whatever you want, but as long as I’m the mayor I will make sure we continue to recognize people who are marginalized.”
Budget approved
Commissioners approved the city’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget unanimously. It was last brought before the commission as its May 19 meeting where a public hearing was held.
More information about the budget can be found in the meeting’s agenda packet under the “Government” tab at mountclemens.gov.
