TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare a draft ordinance allowing drivers with valid disabled driver plates and/or placards to park for free in city-owned parking lots that are enforced in the same manner as parking meters in the public right-of-way consistent with CA Vehicle Code 22511.5, while all other operational policies and rules for these lots remains in place with no effect to privately owned lots.
DISCUSSION
California state traffic law allows for drivers with a visible handicapped license plate or placard to park in an on-street metered parking space at no charge. This exists in order to make accommodations for their disabilities and acknowledge that parking often comes at a premium, so finding an available handicapped parking space may be more difficult than finding an available metered space. The city owns a number of parking lots, some are proactively patrolled to enforce that meters have been paid, these lots require parking fees be paid prior to the time that the car will be parked. And other parking lots, parking garages, and parking structures are not patrolled but instead require drivers take a ticket and get validation, pay at a kiosk, or pay at the gate on the way out of the lot after the period of time in the parking space has been completed.
For lots where drivers pay when they first park as opposed to when they leave, it has become an issue for disabled long Beach residents who are able to park throughout the city without paying, but are not afforded that same right inside city lots, which leads to confusion, frustration, and accidental incidents where meters go unpaid.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is not a significant financial impact as a result of the recommended action as handicapped spots do not result in a major source of income.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
SUZIE PRICE
COUNCILWOMAN, THIRD DISTRICT
JEANNINE PEARCE
COUNCILMEMBER, SECOND DISTRICT
DARYL SUPERNAW
COUNCILMEMBER, FOURTH DISTRICT
DEE ANDREWS
COUNCILMAN, SIXTH DISTRICT