§ 18-166. Parking for persons with disabilities.

(a)

The provisions of this section shall apply to all existing parking areas on nonresidential sites, including but not limited to shopping centers, office buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, convalescent homes, and all buildings open to the public. Parking spaces in which parking shall be prohibited to all motor vehicles except vehicles displaying the special removable windshield placard or bearing a set of special license plates provided in accordance with the Section 14-253a of the Connecticut General Statutes, shall be established in parking areas according to the formula in the current Connecticut Building Code.

Any commercial or industrial business that does not provide on-site mercantile services to the public shall be required to establish parking spaces according to the formula in the current Connecticut Building Code.

(b)

All such spaces required by subsection (a) shall be designated as reserved for exclusive use by persons with disabilities and shall be located, constructed, designated, and maintained in accordance with the standards and requirements provided by the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut for parking spaces for persons with disabilities.

(c)

There shall be established an appeals board for parking for persons with disabilities to consist of three (3) members. Said board shall consist of the city council member who serves as liaison to the City of Bristol Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the chief of police of the City of Bristol or his designee, and a member of the City of Bristol Commission for Persons with Disabilities to be selected by said commission. Said board shall have the power to hear and decide appeals by any person aggrieved by the number of parking spaces required by this section. For good cause shown, said board shall have the power to reduce the number of parking spaces for persons with disabilities required by this section for private parking areas for two hundred (200) or fewer motor vehicles.

(d)

Every owner or occupant of land containing a parking space for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp by law as defined in this section, shall clear such parking space for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp of snow within twelve (12) hours after a storm which ends between the hours of 3:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. and within nine (9) hours after a storm which ends between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.; and whenever ice shall form on such parking space for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp shall either remove the same within such time, or cover it with salt and sand, so that it shall be safe for travel.

It shall be the duty of the chief of police to see that all provisions of this section are duly enforced. He shall report the names of all delinquents, together with the particular sections of parking spaces for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp which remain uncleared, to the director of public works, who shall cause such parking spaces for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp to be cleaned, and the cost thereof charged to and liened against the owner of the property containing such parking space for persons with disabilities, curb cuts and ramp.

Any person violating the terms of this section shall be fined fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense.

(e)

The effective date of subsections (a), (b), and (c) shall be July 1, 1985. Subsection (d) shall take effect fourteen (14) days from the date of publication in accordance with the Charter of the City of Bristol (publication date Nov. 15, 1986, effective date Nov. 29, 1986).

(Ord. of 12-10-84; Ord. of 1-13-85; Ord. of 11-10-86; Ord. of 2-24-95; Ord. of 7-8-97; Ord. of 7-14-98)

Editor's note

Formerly, § 18-166 provided an expiration date for the commission on aging. Such provisions were derived from an ordinance adopted May 3, 1978. A motion passed by the council on Feb. 14, 1984, provided that § 18-166 be deleted; that the commission on the handicapped be reestablished; and that the members in office on the date of the motion shall continue until the expiration of their terms. Subsequently, the council adopted new provisions relative to handicapped parking designated as § 18-166 as herein set out.

Cross reference

Stopping, standing and parking generally, § 14-29 et seq.