GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Parking rates in some city lots will double this fall as Grand Rapids deploys a "mobility" approach to commuter and visitor transportation.

The city's Parking Commission on Thursday, April 14, will consider a fee schedule that increases rates as much as $56 per month south of Fulton Street, while holding prices steady in two large ramps north of Fulton. The lowest monthly parking rates will be set higher than the cost of a monthly bus pass, rising to $48 in surface lots on the West Side.

Event parking rates also will rise in some cases, to $12 near Van Andel Arena, for example. And the minimum on-street parking meter price will double to $1 an hour, with the most common meter rate increasing a quarter to $1.50 an hour.

The rates would take effect Sept. 1, pending approval next month by the City Commission.

"The city needs to manage its parking assets to best support the success of downtown, pricing both on- and off-street parking to reflect supply and demand," states a memo from Josh Naramore, the city's new Mobile GR manager. "This provides choices for customers and optimal utilization of our public facilities.

"Changing rates is intended to price parking as a commodity, based on demand, to ensure that there is always some availability in all of the parking facilities for customers."

Here's a map of city ramps and lots, with proposed monthly parking rates:

• Area 2 and Area 3 south of Van Andel Arena, $112 (up from $76)

• Area 4 and Area 5 south of Van Andel Arena, $112 (up from $56)

• Area 6A south of Van Andel Arena, $86 (up from $43)

• Cherry Commerce and Weston Commerce ramps south of Fulton Street, $140 (up from $119 and $126, respectively)

• Gallery and Ottawa Fulton ramps along Fulton Street, $140 (up from $126 and $127, respectively)

• Monroe Center and Louis Campus ramps north of Fulton Street, $140 (up from $137)

• Pearl Ionia and Government Center ramps north of Fulton Street, $151 and $149, respectively (no change)

• West Side lots, $48 (up from $27 in Area 8, up from $30 in Area 7 and Area 9, and up from $45 in the Scribner lot)

• Monroe North and Ionia North lots, $58 (up from $45 and $49, respectively)

• Ionia Mason lot, $48 (up from $45)

• Market Street lot, $54 (up from $27)

• Jefferson Street lot, $76 (up from $53)

RELATED: $140M downtown movie complex will include apartments, parking

The changes come as Loeks Theatres Inc. and 616 Development plan to build a movie theater complex with retail, apartments and a 900-space parking ramp on the Area 4 and Area 5 lots. The city plans to buy and operate that $28.5 million ramp.

The Area 4 and Area 5 lots would be taken out of service to accommodate construction next year. The city would lose 700-plus monthly parking spaces at that time, eventually gaining more than that when the theater ramp gets built.

Event parking rates that are in effect on weekends and after 5 p.m. weekdays currently max out at $9. Prices are proposed to be $12 in the Ottawa Fulton ramp and Area 2 and Area 3 lots. Event rates would be $10 in the Area 4 and Area 5 lots, as well as the Cherry Commerce, Weston Commerce and Gallery on Fulton ramps.

Eric DeLong, deputy city manager, called the city's approach "balanced" in that it will add parking supply at the same time it expands public transportation. In conjunction with the increased parking rates, the city will extend the hours of Downtown Area Shuttle, or DASH, service to 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays. Also, the city plans to make rides on the Silverline bus-rapid transit line free north of Wealthy Street and throughout downtown.

Revenue from the parking system will help pay for the increased bus service.

Matt Vande Bunte writes about government and other issues on MLive. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.