Permits & Requests

Step 1. Select a date for your party

Determine the day you and your neighbors want to close the road for a party. Remember, block parties must begin during daylight hours and end before sunset.

Step 2. Contact your neighbors

Closing the road can be an inconvenience, so we ask that you get permission from the majority of your neighbors to have your party. The City needs to see written permission from at least 51% of the households on your block to close the road.

Step 3. Apply online

Be prepared to pay a non-refundable $30 processing fee. Once you have collected your signatures, you can apply for the permit online.

Apply Online in English

Step 4. City staff will review your application

We will be in touch with you within 7 business days. If approved, the City will deliver the barricades (road closure signs) you need before your party.

Step 5. Put out barricades to close the road

On the day of the party, put out the barricades to close the road. After the party, remove the barricades and return them to where they were dropped off by the City.

Related Links 

Interactive Truck Map

Truck Routes Map PDF

Questions or Concerns? 

If you have any questions or are unable to complete the online application, please contact a Customer Service agent by calling 311 or visit us at 50 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.

Step 1. Check Your Eligibility

Before you fill out the application, keep in mind:

1. The applicant must be a full-time resident of the property and possess a Permanent State of Michigan Disability Parking Placard or License Plate. A copy of the current placard/license plate must be provided with the application.
2. The property does not have a driveway or other off-street parking.
3. Accessible Parking Zones will not be installed on major roadways or in front of commercial properties. Some exceptions may apply.
4. The applicant must observe and obey all other parking restrictions which may apply at the approved location.

Note:

• Submissions lacking required attachments or incomplete information will not be considered.
• Residency & Placard/License Plate validity will be confirmed.
• If the applicant does not have a license to operate a motor vehicle, then the household resident responsible for transporting the applicant must supply a copy of their license.
• The reserved parking space is not intended to act as a pickup/drop off location.
• Reserved space is not exclusive to the placard/license plate holder.
• Approved applicants will be subject to a renewal process.
• The installation/removal of a sign is at the discretion of the Traffic Safety Group.
• The applicant shall contact the Traffic Safety Group upon relocation.

Step 2. Gather Your Documentation

When you submit your application, you need to include all of the following documentation:

• Copy of driver’s license for applicant or the responsible resident  

• Copy of Current MI State Disability Parking Placard/Plate

We'll ask you to upload copies of these documents in the online application. Don't have these when you're applying? Not a problem! You can mail them or drop them off at our office. We're located at the address listed in the Contact Us section of this page.

Step 3. Fill Out the Online Form

Apply Online in English

Step 4. Wait to Hear From Us

Our traffic technicians review your application within 2 business days. 

We'll let you know if your application has been denied or approved within 1 week. We might contact you before that if we have questions.

Step 5. We Install the Accessible Parking Sign

If we approve your application, it can take a few weeks to install the accessible parking sign. The sign doesn't say your name or address. Anyone with a disability placard or plate may park in that space.

Questions or Concerns? 

If you have any questions or are unable to complete the online application, please contact a Customer Service agent by calling 311 or visit us at 50 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.

Looking to make your residential street safer? Apply for our Traffic Calming program here.

Step 1. Ask your neighbors to sign the Petition

First you'll need to get your neighbors' signatures. These show that they'd also like to have some type of traffic calming on the street. We need to have these to consider your application. There's no set number of required signatures. Keep in mind that getting more signatures in the beginning can lead to project approval when we send out a survey. Download and print the Petition here.

Step 2. Fill out the online application

We'll ask you a few questions about what's going on and ask you to attach your completed petition. Don't have a way to scan and save the petition to your computer? That's OK, you can mail it or drop it off at our office.

Apply Online in English

Step 3. We'll review your application

These requests can take some time to process. A typical traffic calming project can take 12-18 months to complete, from the time you apply. As a reminder, there's a limited amount of funding for these projects, so we may not be able to move forward until we have funding.

If we deny your request, we'll let you know. Depending on the reason we deny your request, you might hear from us within a few weeks or it could take longer than that.

Questions or Concerns? 

If you have any questions or are unable to complete the online application, please contact a Customer Service agent by calling 311 or visit us at 50 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.

Step 1. Reference the Parking Validation Map

View parking locations on our interactive Parking Validation Map or download the PDF Parking Map(PDF, 147KB).

Step 2. Decide what dollar amount of parking you want to cover

If you are a returning customer, have your 1-, 2-, or 3- digit validation codes. These are printed on your tickets.

If you are a new customer, you'll use the table in the form to choose the amount you would like to validate for your visitors.

Step 3. Have billing and contact information ready

If you are a returning customer, have any new billing or contact information ready.

If you are a new customer, we'll set up an account for you. We need information for the point of contact, billing, and pick-up/delivery details. 

Step 4. Select a delivery method

We can mail validations to you (5 business days) or someone can pick them up from us (1 business day).

Step 5. Complete the Parking Validation Ticket Request form

Complete the Form in English

Step 6. We'll deliver your tickets

We will mail them out within one (1) business day. Delivery takes up to five (5) business days. For pick-up, we'll contact you or a representative of your choosing within one (1) business day.  

Step 7. Guests use validation tickets

Your account will only be charged for the amount of time used up to the total validation cost you chose.

Step 8. Printing and processing fee

Every validation order has a $6.95 printing and processing fee.

Step 9. Monthly billing

We bill you each month for the parking that was used during the billing cycle.

Questions or Concerns? 

If you have any questions or are unable to complete the online application, please contact a Customer Service agent by calling 311 or visit us at 50 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.

Step 1. Reference the Parking Validation Map

View parking locations on our interactive Parking Validation Map or download the PDF Parking Map(PDF, 147KB).

Step 2. Decide what dollar amount of parking you want to cover

You'll probably want the special event rate. This covers a full day's validation and is the best value for longer events. If your event is shorter, review the rate table in the form to choose what works best for you. 

Step 3. Have event details ready

We will ask you for the following details:

• Name of event
• Event location
• Number of attendees
• Number of validation tickets requested
• Event start and end dates
• Event start and end times
• Lots and/or ramps your guests will use

Step 4. Complete the Special Event Parking Validation Ticket Request form

Apply Online in English

Step 5. We'll deliver your tickets

Step 6. Guests use validation tickets 

Your account will only be charged for the amount of time used up to the total validation cost you chose.

Step 7. We'll bill you after your special event 

We bill you after your special event for the parking that was used during the event, including a $6.95 processing fee.

Questions or Concerns? 

If you have any questions or are unable to complete the online application, please contact a Customer Service agent by calling 311 or visit us at 50 Ottawa Ave NW in Grand Rapids.