Authorizing the Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped to hold public hearings on the misuse and enforcement of handicap placards in residential and commercial handicapped parking spaces.

WHEREAS, Chapter 12-117 of The Philadelphia Code provides for reserved on-street parking for physically handicapped persons and severely-disabled veterans in residential areas; and

WHEREAS, Reserved spaces in residential areas are applied for and must meet certain requirements and consent from neighbors. Although these reserved spaces are not solely for the disabled or handicapped individual who applies, they are reserved mainly to assist these individuals; and

WHEREAS, Handicapped markers are either on a vehicle’s license plate or a separate placard displayed inside a vehicle when parked. However, handicapped markers may only be used to park in a reserved space when a disabled or handicapped person is in the vehicle; and

WHEREAS, Unfortunately, placard markers are often misused by non-disabled or handicapped individuals who borrow a marker and display it in order to park in a designated handicapped parking space; and

WHEREAS, Fraudulent use causes severe hardship for those who are disabled or handicapped since they are forced to look for alternative parking, which in some cases can be blocks from their home. Misuse in commercial handicapped parking spaces also causes difficulty for those who need those spaces for close access to entrances; and

WHEREAS, Misuse occurs frequently in residential neighborhoods when the offender parks to dine at a nearby restaurant; and

WHEREAS, It would greatly benefit disabled and handicapped individuals who have gone through the process of applying for the reserved spot if the Philadelphia Parking Authority implemented an initiative to actively pursue violators; now therefore

RESOLVED,

BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council’s Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped is hereby authorized to hold public hearings on the misuse and enforcement of handicap placards in residential and commercial handicapped parking spaces.

End