Any person or body that has lawful control of a public or private
way or of improved or enclosed property used as off-street parking
areas for businesses, shopping malls, theaters, auditoriums, sporting
or recreational facilities, cultural centers, residential dwellings
or for any other place where the public has a right of access as invitees
or licensees, shall be required to reserve parking spaces in said
off-street parking areas for any vehicle owned and operated by a disabled
veteran or handicapped person whose vehicle bears the distinguishing
license plate or placard authorized by MGL C. 90, § 2, or
Chapter 632 of the Acts of 1985, as amended.
Where the number of parking spaces in any such area is more
than fifteen (15) but not more than twenty-five (25), there shall
be one (1) handicapped parking space; more than twenty-five (25) but
not more than forty (40), five percent (5%) of such spaces but not
fewer than two (2) handicapped spaces; more than forty (40) but not
more than one hundred (100), four percent (4%) of such spaces but
not fewer than three (3) handicapped spaces; more than one hundred
(100) but not more than two hundred (200), three percent (3%) of such
spaces but not fewer than four (4) handicapped spaces; more than two
hundred (200) but not more than five hundred (500), two percent (2%)
of such spaces but not fewer than six (6) handicapped spaces; more
than five hundred (500) but not more than one thousand (1,000), one
and one-half percent (1 1/2%) of such spaces but not fewer than
ten (10) handicapped spaces; more than one thousand (1,000) but not
more than two thousand (2,000), one percent (1%) of such spaces but
not fewer than fifteen (15) handicapped spaces; more than two thousand
(2,000) but less than five thousand (5,000), three-fourths of one
percent (3/4 of 1%) of such spaces but not fewer than twenty (20)
handicapped spaces; and more than five thousand (5,000), one-half
of one percent (1/2 of 1%) of such spaces but not fewer than thirty
(30) handicapped spaces.
[Amended 5-8-1990 ATM, Art. 33]
All parking spaces designated as reserved under the provisions
of the above section shall continue to be so reserved unless a change
in designation is authorized, in writing, by the Building Inspector
and shall be identified by the use of above-grade signs with white
lettering against a blue background and shall bear the words "Handicapped
Parking: Special Plate Required. Unauthorized Parking Subject to Fine
and Towing At Owner's Expense." Such spaces shall be as near
as possible to a building entrance or walkway, shall be adjacent to
curb ramps or other unobstructed methods permitting sidewalk access
to a handicapped person and shall be twelve (12) feet wide or shall
consist of two (2) eight-foot-wide areas with four (4) feet of crosshatch
between them. All handicapped parking stripping and crosshatching
shall be in yellow.
[Amended 5-13-1991 ATM, Art. 19; 12-3-2001 STM, Art. 15]
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to have unauthorized
vehicles within parking spaces designated for use by disabled veterans
or handicapped persons as authorized by the above sections or to leave
such a vehicle as to obstruct a curb ramp designed for use by handicapped
persons as a means of egress to a street or public way. The penalty
for violation of this chapter shall be one hundred dollars ($100.).
The vehicle may be removed according to the provisions of MGL C. 266,
§ 120D. The penalty for failure to establish and maintain
handicapped parking spaces and signs required by the above sections
of this chapter shall be one hundred dollars ($100.) for each day
such failure continues and may be enforced by the Building Inspector.