§ 621-110 — Accessible parking for persons with physical disabilities

Sec. 621-110. - Accessible parking for persons with physical disabilities.

(a) The department of public works of the City of Indianapolis is hereby authorized and empowered to grant to persons with physical disabilities the exclusive use of parking space adjacent to or directly across the street from their residence and place of employment, subject to such rules and regulations as the department of public works may prescribe in areas where such parking is otherwise permitted and not restricted, in the manner provided herein. (b) "Persons with physical disabilities" as used in this section means any person certified by a qualified physician to be disabled in a manner rendering it impossible or difficult and burdensome for him or her to walk for an extended period of time (such as one (1) year). (c) Any person eligible for accessible parking by virtue of a physical disability under this section shall present to the department of public works a written application, on a form furnished by the department, for a permit entitling that person to the exclusive use for a period of up to three (3) calendar years from date of issue of one (1) parking space adjacent to or directly across the street from the applicant's place of residence and one (1) parking space adjacent to or directly across the street from the applicant's place of employment, where applicable. Such application shall include a certificate by a qualified physician verifying that the applicant is a person with a physical disability as defined in this section. Such an application for parking at a place of employment shall include evidence of approval by the employer. If the applicant seeks parking space across the street from his place of residence or employment, he shall also present written consent from the owner or tenant of the real estate in front of which the applicant's parking space will be located. The written consent will be on a form approved by the department of public works. (d) Upon receipt of such written application, the department of public works shall, within a reasonable time, grant or deny the permit so applied for, subject to the following conditions: (1) No applicant shall be granted a permit for more than one (1) reserved space adjacent to or directly across the street from his place of residence and one (1) reserved space adjacent to or directly across the street from his place of employment. (2) No applicant shall be granted a permit who has access to off-street parking at his place of residence and place of employment; with the exception that the department may in its discretion grant a permit to an applicant who is able to demonstrate that the location of such off-street parking renders it unduly burdensome for him to utilize same. (3) Each permit granted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be assigned an identification number. (e) Upon the grant of such permit, the department of public works shall: (1) Issue to the applicant a reserved space permit with an identification number. (2) Mark the space(s) reserved by distinctive painting on the curb. (3) Install a sign restricting use of the space to the permit holder only, which sign shall show thereon the holder's permit number. (4) Upon request by the permit holder, authorize construction of one (1) curb ramp within the reserved area, at the permit holder's expense. (f) From and after the granting of such permit, the permit holder shall: (1) Display the reserved space permit in the windshield of any vehicle used by the permit holder and parked in the reserved space. (2) Promptly notify the department of public works when he or she will no longer regularly use the parking space(s) allocated to the permit because of a change of residence or employment. Any failure by a permit holder to comply with the above requirements shall be grounds for refusal by the department of public works to issue such a permit to such person thereafter, or to revoke such permit prior to expiration, or to make the issuance of further permits subject to reasonable conditions. (g) Parking of a vehicle by any person in a space reserved hereunder without a visible permit showing such parking to be authorized shall be unlawful and shall subject the owner and driver of the vehicle so parked to the penalties provided for violations of this chapter.

(Code 1975, § 29-256.1; G.O. 15, 2001, § 73; G.O. 42, 2021, § 1)