§ 86-128. Restricted area of parking spaces for handicapped persons.

(a)

The director is authorized to designate certain parking stalls and/or spaces (whether on public or private property) as reserved for handicapped persons. "Public facility," as the term is used herein, shall be as defined in R.S. 40:1732, as amended from time to time, and shall include private property which is open to the public and to which the public is invited for commercial or governmental purposes. Parking stalls and/or spaces that are designated as reserved for handicapped persons under this section shall be so designated by the erection and/or installation of signs and/or application of pavement markings by the property owner and/or operator of the premises.

(b)

An owner or operator of a public or private facility who fails to provide, maintain and/or remove the signs and/or markings or keep free from obstruction spaces reserved and designated for the exclusive use of vehicles bearing a handicapped license plate or handicapped parking placard may be cited by fire department officials. Violations of this provision shall be subject to a fine in the amount identified in section 86-174. Each day of non-compliance shall be deemed a separate offense.

(c)

No person shall stop, park a vehicle, trailer, equipment, apparatus, portable buildings or any items in or otherwise block an appropriately designated parking space for the handicapped, except those persons that meet the requirements herein. Only vehicles displaying an official license plate, placard, or permit indicating a handicapped status issued by this state, another state, or the federal government are authorized to park in stalls or spaces specifically reserved for handicapped persons.

(d)

A stall or space designated as reserved for use by a handicapped person shall consist of the area from the outer edge of the stall stripe to the outer edge of the area striped for wheelchair loading/unloading (if provided separately). It shall be a minimum width of 13 feet, except that one of every eight handicapped parking stalls servicing the same location shall be a minimum of 16 feet wide and have a sign designating it as "van accessible."

(e)

Any person that has been issued an official, handicapped parking placard or permit identified in subsection (c) of this section who fails to properly display as required by the issuing state agency, shall be subject to a fine in the amount identified in section 86-174. Failure to pay this fine, or appear at an adjudicatory hearing or failure to pay the fine assessed by the adjudication bureau after having been found responsible shall cause the person charged to pay an additional penalty in the same amount as the original fine.

(f)

The state-issued placard or permit is designed to be hung from the vehicle's front windshield rear view mirror. If the permit/placard is unable to be hung from the front rear view mirror, it must be displayed on the vehicle's front dashboard on the driver's side.

(Ord. No. O-149-2012, § 2, 7-17-12)