GRAND RAPIDS, MI – With enforcement of a new bike-lane parking ban set to start next month, the city will establish a schedule of fines for the offense.

Effective on Saturday, Nov. 1, motorists who park in a bike lane or whose vehicles block part of a bike lane will be ticketed. Grand Rapids City Commission next week will consider setting the fine at $20.

The fine would double to $40 if it’s not paid within 10 days, and jump again to $60 if it’s not paid within 90 days.

The commission will vote on the fines at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW.

RELATED: No parking in bike lanes: Grand Rapids looks to ticket offending vehicles

Grand Rapids also this month started enforcing a new residential parking permit program in the Belknap Lookout neighborhood across I-196 from the Medical Mile. To discourage students and health care workers from taking up spots in front of houses, a permit is required to park on certain streets as of Oct. 15.

Here's a map of streets in the permit zone.

From Oct. 15 through Thursday, Oct. 23, the city’s parking system ticketed 110 offenders, said Eileen Pierce, a project manager in the city's parking department. That’s about 12 tickets per day. The fine is $20.

The city has sold 120 residential parking permits in the neighborhood and 130 guest permits, Pierce said. Here's what the permits cost.



RELATED: With support from Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids board votes 5-4 for new parking lot

The new restriction on parking in bike lanes is part of an ongoing effort to make Grand Rapids more bicycle friendly. But the city also is dealing with how to accommodate automobiles, especially south of Van Andel Arena where parking can be scarce.

The city’s Planning Commission in a 5-4 vote Thursday, Oct. 23, OK’d a new parking lot along Market Avenue SW, west of Founders Brewing Co. The $1.5 million, 276-space lot could be built next year if City Commission agrees to fund it.

Matt Vande Bunte covers government for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at mvandebu@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.