The Riviera of the Midwest - City of St. Joseph, Michigan

News & Events - Keep track of the latest news and events: special alerts, construction updates, bids & contracts, and meetings. To have us send you the news, you can sign up for our eNewsletter.

2014 Public Art Announced
To click on Press Release, logo and application for the 2014 Public Art Display, "Shining Sculptures: Lighting Up St. Joseph" information. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions or to submit completed applications.
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2012 Annual Water Quality Report
The 2012 Annual Water Quality Report has been completed and is available to view as a .PDF located here.
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Napier Langley Traffic Signal
The new Napier Langley traffic signal is now operational and there is a change to the left signal mode of operation.
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2013 Summer Recreation and Tennis Fillable Forms
Summer is coming! Kindly fill in the attached forms, print them out and return to: Denise Westfall, City of St. Joseph, 700 Broad Street, St. Joseph, Michigan 49085 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Questions? Please call 983-6325. Thank you.
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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.

Water Bills
The Water Department Customer Service Office generates approximately 4,500 bills per month. In addition, they are responsible for processing payments, setting up new accounts, maintaining billing and payment records, arranging for final meter reads when service is terminated and arranging for shut-offs of delinquent accounts.
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Community Meetings
Community town hall meetings, also known as precinct meetings in years past, are held annually in the fall. Typically, there are three (3) meeting dates available giving residents a better opportunity to attend one of the meetings. These meetings are held for residents to meet city staff and hear about project updates, but most importantly, these meetings are to give a forum to city residents in order to give their opinion and speak of concerns and accolades. As a reminder, staff encourages residents to call or visit City Hall Monday - Friday 8 a.m .- 5 p.m. any time througout the year to chat about issues. It is not necessary to wait until community meetings to share a concern. We are here to serve you.
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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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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.

Chamber of Commerce
The City of St. Joseph is proud to affiliate itself with many different engines of economic development and growth. If you have any questions regarding the Chambers of Commerce in St. Joseph, please feel free to contact the City, and we will be glad to answer any questions.
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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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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.

Howard Ice Arena Opens at Noon on Thanksgiving Day
To view the schedule for open skating at the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena, please click here.
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Public Art Project
St. Joseph Public Art is a City-funded event that places vibrant, fun, family-friendly sculptures downtown for the summer that follow a certain theme.
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John & Dede Howard Skate Park
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 City Clerk's office. If you visit the City Clerk's webpage, you will find relevant forms for registration for and information about these programs.
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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.

Annual Audit Reports
The City of St. Joseph participates in an audit for each fiscal year. The annual audit is managed by the Finance Department. If you have any questions about the City's audits please use the contact information provided on the Finance Department's webpage and someone will be happy to assist you.

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Accountability & Transparency
The City of St. Joseph endorses accountability and transparency in government and endeavours to make information regarding city operations and reporting accessible to you. This portion of our website is dedicated to providing benchmarking and financial information in an easy to read format. If you would like further information, please contact the City Manager's office at 269-983-5541.
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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.
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Annual Budgets
The City of St. Joseph prepares an annual budget for each fiscal year. The budget is managed by both the City Manager and the Finance Department. If you have any questions regarding the annual budget please contact the Finance Department using the contact information provided on their webpage and we will be happy to assist you.

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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.

Volunteer
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.
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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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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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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 - part of a "small town" chain stretching from the state line in a spectacular arc along Lake Michigan. 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. It is the largest non-citrus fruit growing region in the nation.

seniorpga small Located just 90 miles from downtown Chicago, St. Joseph is a quaint community situated within the larger Benton Harbor/St. Joseph MSA. The City of St. Joseph has continually operated at full economic capacity.

St. Joseph is the county seat for Berrien County, a distinction maintained since 1894. St. Joseph has prospered over the years by encouraging a balanced mix of industrial, commercial, and residential development.

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, and its affluent community. The presence of many large corporations causes the city's population to triple during the average workday. St. Joseph has become the ideal location for many second-home buyers, with a strong attraction from the Chicago area.

Tourists come to St. Joseph every year by the tens of thousands to enjoy the beaches, Lake Michigan, the St. Joseph River, downtown shopping, festivals and more. Silver Beach County Park in downtown St. Joseph attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and the number of visitors continues to grow. Annual festivals in St. Joseph continue to draw increasing numbers of tourists to the community.

Click here to take a tour of the City.