How Do I? - City of St. Joseph, Michigan

Live Here - St. Joseph is carefully nestled on the southern tip of what has been termed "The Riviera of the Midwest." This deepwater port town is a growing resort community – The lakeshore is peppered with remarkable sand dune formations and lined further inland with a lush countryside that produces some of the nation's finest orchards and vineyards.

2009 Report on Lake Boulevard Bluff Evaluation
A study was conducted by Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. in mid-July, 2009. This evaluation consisted of the existing coastal bluff along Lake Boulevard between Park Street and Water Street. To read the report in its entirety, please click here.
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Neighborhood Watch
Crime Prevention Information Line - Call (269) 985-0300 to hear how you can help yourself and your neighborhood avoid becoming a victim of various crimes that have occurred in our City. Seasonal crime prevention and safety tips are also given out on this line which is updated several times a month.
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Public Health
The Berrien County Health Department offers a variety of clinics to the public.
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Hydrant Flow Testing
The St. Joseph Fire Department and/or the St. Joseph Water Department periodically flow fire hydrants to check the function of the hydrants, to evaluate the firefighting water available from each hydrant, to monitor the condition of the water system, and to remove rust and other sediment from the water distribution system.
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Work Here - St. Joseph has become well known for its beautiful location along Lake Michigan, its quality public school system, its health care system, its beaches, parks, and other natural amenities. The presence of many large corporations causes the city's population to triple during the average workday.

Licenses & Permits
The issuance of Licenses and Permits is typically a function of the Clerk's Office, the Inspections Department or the Public Safety Department. For more information regarding specific licenses or permits, please click on the links below.
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Start a Business
The City of St. Joseph encourages and supports the local business community. If you would like to start a business in St. Joseph, you may find our Chamber of Commerce page useful.
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Business and Economic Development Assistance
Cornerstone Alliance
Cornerstone Alliance leads business retention and expansion efforts throughout all of Berrien County, helping local businesses stay and grow here; and support issues that enhance our area's economic competitiveness. Cornerstone Alliance leads initiatives to attract new investment and new companies to Michigan's Great Southwest and works to grow entrepreneurial businesses; offering a full range of start-up and early growth services. Founded in 1987, Cornerstone Alliance is an economic development organization supported by investments from the private and public sectors, serving Berrien County and its municipalities. The dedicated business development team experts are ready to work with you on your next project.

Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce
Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven organization encouraging the growth of business through networking, advocacy, visibility and benefits for all of our members.

Michigan Small Business Development Center
The Michigan Small Business Development Center provides counseling, training, research and advocacy for start-ups, existing small businesses and innovative tech companies. Counselors provide support and a planning tool to help evaluate the direction of your technology, chart strategies and more. Check out their Guide to Starting and Operating a Small Business.

City of St. Joseph Downtown Development Authority

St. Joseph Today
St. Joseph Today is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1979. With a mission to enhance the image and recognition of St. Joseph, Michigan, promote business and tourism development and to augment the effort of local governmental units. We are dedicated to serving visitors, residents and local businesses.

Contact St. Joseph Today if you are interested in the Farmers Market or participating in any of the other programs put on by the agency.
Southwest Michigan Tourist Council

Berrien County Community Development Department

Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The MEDC organization works to be “helpful in the marketing of Michigan and providing the tools and environment to drive job creation and investment. The MEDC helps create more and better jobs by accelerating business investments, increasing community vitality, matching talent supply with demand, and building the state’s exceptional Pure Michigan Brand.” Their website will help provide information for all aspects of your business.
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Rental Property
All rental property registrations and inspections are managed by the Inspections Department. If you have any questions regarding Zoning or Planning in the City of St. Joseph please visit the Zoning Department's webpage. If you have still any further questions regarding rental property, please contact the Inspections Department using the contact information located on their webpage and we will be happy to address your concerns.
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Play Here - Looking for something fun to do? St. Joseph has it all with an abundance of parks and recreational facilities that cater to a variety of enthusiasts' tastes. Set out for an afternoon of fishing, laze on one of our many beaches, take a stroll along picturesque trails, or hit the skate park. Whatever you're after, you'll find it here.

St. Joseph Municipal Band

The City of St. Joseph offers municipal band concerts every Sunday throughout the summer months. Conveniently located downtown at Port Street and Lake Boulevard, the municipal band concerts take place at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell. Its namesake, John Howard, was conductor of the municipal band beginning in 1948 through 1987; also, he was the St. Joseph High School band director until he retired in 1963.
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John & Dede Howard Skate Park | Parks
The John and Dede Howard Skate Park is an in-line skating, skateboarding, and BMX biking facility. Complete with ramps, rails and half-pipes. Helmets are recommended.
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Recreational Programs
Recreational programs including the Summer Recreational Program and the Summer Tennis program are managed by the Parks Department. If you visit the Parks Department, you will find relevant forms for registration for and information about these programs.
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Plan My St. Joseph Wedding?
St. Joseph, known for its abundant natural resources and great picturesque landscapes, makes a wonderful place to get married. St. Joseph has been nationally acclaimed as "Michigan's Most Romantic City" by the Detroit Free Press and the "Riviera of the Midwest" by the Fine Living Channel.
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St. Joseph Today
The Welcome Center promotes tourism in the area.
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Government - St. Joseph's prosperity depends on each of its citizens taking an active role in making our town a special place on the lake. Find out more about what's going on with the City Commission, take a look at City Commission agendas, catch up on the latest City notices, announcements or ordinances, and view local election information.

Elections & Voting
Any United States citizen who is at least 18 years of age by the date of the next election and who is a resident of the State of Michigan and the City of St. Joseph may register to vote in the City of St. Joseph by completing a Voter Registration Application.

You can register to vote at any Secretary of State Branch office, the County Clerk's Office, or the St. Joseph City Clerk's Office. If you are unable to go to any of these offices to register, please contact your local Clerk at (269) 983-6325.

Elections

Michigan Election Law provides that elections must be held on only four (4) predetermined dates throughout the year:
- The 2nd Tuesday in March
- The first Tuesday after the first Monday in May
- The first Tuesday after the first Monday in August
- The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
Polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm on Election Day.
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Boards & Commissions
Each year, the St. Joseph City Commission appoints citizens who express an interest in serving on the numerous boards, commissions and committees that are so vital in helping shape the future of the City of St. Joseph.

If you have a willingness to voluntarily serve your Community in this capacity and have a particular interest or knowledge in any of the following areas, you may wish to contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an application to seek an appointment. Questionnaires are also available for those members seeking re-appointment to a City board, commission or committee.
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City Commission
The City Commission typically meets on alternating weeks on the second floor of City Hall.
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Code of Ordinances
This provides a link to all legislation received by Municipal Code since the last update (printed or electronic) to the Code of Ordinances. This legislation has been enacted, but has not yet been codified. Each piece of legislation, where applicable, is also linked to the portion of the Code that it affects.
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How Do I? – Browse a collection of questions people most frequently ask, from applying for a building permit to planning a wedding. If you don't find the answers your looking for, please let us know and we'll help point in in the right direction.

Contact someone for non-emergency issues?
Please call the Berrien County Dispatch at 269-926-2538 for a non-emergency issues or if you see suspicious activity.
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Purchase
The Purchase section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I purchase...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains, please feel free to contact the City online or call the Clerk's Office at (269)-983-6325.
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File
The File section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I file...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.
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Report
The Report section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I report...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.
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The City of St. Joseph is always looking for, and greatly appreciates, individuals and groups who would like to volunteer their time for park service. If you would like to inquire about volunteering some of your time for park service please contact the Director of Public Works and Service by using the contact information located on their webpage; or call (269)-983-6341. Thank you very much for your interest in volunteering for the City of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Public Safety Department
Phone: 269-985-0300

If you need to file a police report, they are available from the Public Safety Department on the first floor of City Hall (700 Broad Street). If you have any questions or concerns about filing a police report please feel free to contact the Public Safety Department at 985-0300 from 8AM to 5PM, Monday through Sunday.

The Volunteer section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I volunteer...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Request section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I request...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Report section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I report...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Reserve/Rent section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I reserve/rent...?". Listed below you will find links to these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains, please feel free to contact Public Works through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (269)-983-6341.

The Register section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I register...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Purchase section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I purchase...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains, please feel free to contact the City online or call the Clerk's Office at (269)-983-6325.

The Pay section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I pay...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains, please feel free to contact the City online or call the Clerk's Office at (269)-983-6325.

Please note: There is a convenience fee for these 3rd party payment services. For payment by credit or debit cards the convenience fee is 3% ($2 minimum). For payment by E-checking there is a flat $3 convenience fee for up to $10,000; $10.00 for amounts over $10,000.

The Look Up section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I look up...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The File section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I file...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Contact section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I contact...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

The Apply For section is a list of FAQs under the How Do I? heading that would start with the phrase "How do I apply for...?". Listed below you will find links of these FAQs that will redirect you to the area of the website with the answer to your question. If you have any further concerns or questions about this particular section or the questions it contains please feel free to contact the City (269-983-5541) and we will be happy to assist you.

Please call the Berrien County Dispatch at 269-926-2538 for a non-emergency issues or if you see suspicious activity.

The Special Pick-ups offered through the City of St. Joseph are intended for over-size or bulky items that cannot be taken in your regular rubbish collection.

Due to below normal temperatures this spring, startup maintenance for the Whirlpool Compass Fountain has been delayed, which moves back its opening to Tuesday, May 15th. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

The Whirlpool Compass Fountain runs on a set schedule throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall for use by the general public. The current hours for the Whirlpool Compass Fountain are displayed here:

The City of St. Joseph holds numerous events throughout the year. Some good places to look for events in St. Joseph are in the yearly calendar, newsletters, news stream, and also through St. Joseph Today. If you have any questions regarding events in the City of St. Joseph please feel free to contact the City and we will be happy to assist you.

If you would like to learn more about your Property Taxes please feel free to visit the Property Taxes information webpage. If you still have further questions about Property Taxes please feel free to contact the Finance Department using the contact information located on their webpage and someone will be happy to assist you.

To inquiry about the value of your home or property please use the contact information located on the City Assessor’s webpage and we will be glad to assist you with any questions you may have.

Utility information, such as water rates, forms, or how to pay water bills are located under the Utility Billing Department web page. Water quality reports can be found under the Utility Services Department. Further contact information specifically about the Water Department can be found on their web page located here. If you are trying to inquire about other utilities such as electricity, the website for the local provider Indiana Michigan Power is located here. If you have any questions regarding Utility Information please feel free to contact the City and we will be happy to help you.

Bid Opportunities and Awards will be typically found in the Latest News as well as in Public Hub, which will show the bid and the results, if applicable. Bids that are open will also be periodically listed on the news feed of the website. If you have any further questions about bids and awards, please feel free to contact the City and we will be happy to answer any of your questions.

Many of the City's facilities and parks can be rented out to individuals. These include, but are not limited to: the Howard Bandshell, facillites located at Lions Park Beach, the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena, and Riverview Park. If you have any questions about renting facilities, or want to fill out a form requesting a facility rental, please feel free to visit the City Clerk's webpage.

Dog licenses are available from the St. Joseph City Treasurer's Office beginning December 1 through February 28 for male and female dogs. After March 1, dog licenses are only available at the County Treasurer's Office, Administration Center, 701 Main Street, St. Joseph or the Animal Control Dog Warden's Office in Berrien Center (fees increase after February 28). Kennel licenses, covering up to 10 dogs, may also be purchased at the Animal Control Dog Warden's Office. If you have any questions regarding Dog licenses please feel free to contact the City at (269)-983-6325.

Dog License Information and Rates

The Inspection Department manages all administration, scheduling, and inspection of rental properties. Permits and applications regarding registering rental properties are available on the Inspection Department webpage. If you have any further questions or concerns about rental registration or inspection feel free to contact the Inspection Department located here by phone, e-mail, or in-person and we will be happy to help you.

You can apply for a Vending License using forms provided under the City Clerk’s web page. If you would like to read the Vending Ordinance please go to the City Code of Ordinances. If you have any additional questions about applying for a Vending License please feel free to contact the City Clerk’s office using the contact information on their webpage and we will be happy to help you.

Building Permits are managed by the Inspection Department. If you require any other permits related to building or zoning they can be found under the Inspection Department page and the Zoning Department page. If you are still having trouble finding the proper permits please feel free to contact the Inspection Department through e-mail, phone, or visit and we will be happy to help you.

For St. Joseph City residents the easiest way to learn about upcoming elections is through the Elections and Voting webpage. The Elections and Voting webpage will be regularly updated with new election information. If you have more questions about upcoming elections please feel free to contact the City Clerk's office using the contact information located on their webpage and someone will be happy to address your concerns.

Any United States citizen who is at least 18 years of age by the date of the next election and who is a resident of Michigan and the City of St. Joseph may register to vote in the City of St. Joseph by completing a Voter Registration Application.

City forms are usually easily found on the website. Most will be located under individual department pages. However, if you cannot find a form please feel free to visit, call, or e-mail the City and we will be happy to help you find the correct form.

Employment opportunities will occasionally open up and will be posted on the news feed on the website. If you wish to serve on a Board or Commission please go to the City Clerk’s webpage to fill out an application. If you have any questions or want to request further information about employment with the City of St. Joseph please contact the Personnel Department at (269)-983-0443.

Reporting a concern can be done multiple ways. On the bottom of the website you can use the CONTACT US and REPORT IT! features. You may also report your concern by phone at 269-983-5541. If your concern deals with a specific department of the City, you may find the Departments page useful, which lists all the departments of the city. Clicking a department on that page should give you all the appropriate contact information. If your concern is an emergency and requires emergency personnel please call 911.

To sign-up for e-mail notifications regarding the City please feel free to sign-up for the City Newsletter on the home page (right-hand side) of the website. You may also find more news and events in the City by viewing the City Calendar and also by periodically looking at the City's news feed on the website. If you want to view older newsletters please view the Communications and Marketing Department webpage. If you have further questions about e-mail notifications please contact the City and we will be happy to assist you.