Maurice officials shed light on handicap parking issues

MAURICE — Village of Maurice Alderman Lynn Howell said he has been approached multiple times in the last two weeks about the issue of handicap parking spaces.
Howell told each citizen that he would bring the issue up at a meeting, something he did Wednesday at the village’s regular board of aldermen meeting. Howell joked that he is in a unique situation to bring up the issue.
“A handicap man has a handicap issue on the agenda,” Howell said with a chuckle. “I walk around often with short pants and I do get some attention for my iron leg on my left leg. However, this is on the agenda not because of my left leg, but because I have had people approach me.
“I felt obligated to put it on the agenda.”
While the board took no action, as handicap parking spaces are regulated by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, discussion brought some light to the issue.
“One of the concerns brought to me was handicap parking spaces being abused by non-handicap people,” Howell said. “I told them I would ask what kind of enforcement goes into that.”
Maurice Police Chief Warren Rost said his officers, while not specifically on patrol for those issues, do pay attention who parks in the designated spots.
“In the last seven months we have issued six handicap parking violations,” Rost said. “Those were done upon request, with someone calling us. There are times when an officer will see someone park and he will tell them to move. If they get a little ugly, we will write the citation.”
Rost said residents at the apartment complex have called on numerous occasions.
“People who live at the complex who are handicap will call,” Rost said. “We write citations for those every time.
“We go when we receive complaints and sometimes when we happen to catch them.”
Howell said some businesses not having designated handicap spots had also been brought to his attention.
“I don’t use the spots that often,” Howell said, “so I haven’t noticed that some places don’t have them.
“I had someone pushing a wheelchair at a business point that out to me as I was walking in.”
Village Attorney Scott Dartez explained that not every business will have designated spots. The issue relates to the 1978 Americans With Disabilities Act.
“If a business is in a building that was built prior to 1978,” Dartez said, “it is grandfathered in.
“However, new businesses have to have designated spots, with the sign.”
That sign is important. Simply having the ground painted on parking spot does not by itself make it a handicap spot.
“You are required to have a sign hung a five-feet high in front of the spot,” Mayor Wayne Theriot said. “There are some businesses that have the little wheelchair painted on the ground and have not put up a sign.
“If an individual is parked in that spot, they are not breaking the law.”
Rost said that if anyone sees someone possibly abusing handicap parking spot, to call.
“We will probe that area and enforce it if needed,” Rost said.