Management and nearby businesses clash over handicap parking requests at District 120

Property management for District 120 and nearby business owners gave competing testimony to the Parking and Traffic Committee on Sept. 17 over a petition seeking three on‑street handicap parking spaces on Theodore Toner Way and Green Street.

Crystal Rodriguez, speaking for Maloney Properties LLC, said the building provides eight accessible parking spaces but serves 19 households that need accessible parking. "This shortfall presents daily challenges for residents, especially those with mobility limitations and their caregivers," Rodriguez said, noting some residents are on fixed incomes and that the property provides coupons for an off‑site garage that are unaffordable for some tenants.

Dino LaRusso, who identified himself as the owner of Crompton Place at 138 Green Street, urged caution. He described dense new development in the district and said businesses such as Birchtree Bakery rely on curbside spots. "To add a handicap parking spot there would be devastating for business and residents that live there," LaRusso said. He suggested the owner of the large building convert existing parking stalls behind the building to accessible spaces instead of adding curbside spots.

Commissioner Todd Raleigh told the committee the request would function like other on‑street handicap spaces: they are available to anyone with a handicap placard or plate, not only to building residents. Raleigh said Theodore Toner Way currently has only five on‑street spaces in total; converting three of them to handicap spaces could leave no general‑purpose curb parking for visitors, deliveries and commercial loading. "I wouldn't recommend the whole grouping," he said, recommending at most one on‑street HP space if the committee chose to designate any.

The committee accepted the commissioner’s recommendation to file the petition, telling petitioners and neighboring stakeholders that staff will continue to evaluate on‑site capacity, enforcement, and whether alternative solutions — including additional on‑site accessible stalls or subsidized garage arrangements — might better meet resident need without further restricting short‑term curb access.

Why it matters

On‑street handicap spaces are public resources that anyone entitled to use them may occupy. In dense, newly developed neighborhoods the tradeoff between curbside accessibility for residents with disabilities and space for workers, visitors and deliveries is a recurring tension. The committee’s filing leaves options open for further study and possible a follow‑up petition.

Speakers

- Crystal Rodriguez, representative, Maloney Properties LLC (petitioner) - Dino LaRusso, owner, Crompton Place (local business/property owner) - Commissioner Todd Raleigh, Department of Transportation & Mobility (staff) - Councilor Donna Calorio, Chair, Parking and Traffic Committee (committee)

Authorities

- ADA and PROWAG guidance: accessibility standards cited by staff.

Clarifying details

- On‑site accessible parking: Management reported eight accessible spaces on the property and additional converted spaces. - Petition scope: Requested three additional on‑street accessible spaces on Theodore Toner Way/Green Street; these would be available to any valid placard holder, not only District 120 residents. - Alternative noted: Management suggested increased use of 10 Green Island Boulevard garage (about 350 spaces) and on‑site conversions rather than new on‑street designations.

Provenance

- topicintro: Crystal Rodriguez testimony (transcript timecode ~01:17:54) — evidence: petitioner statement of 8 accessible spaces and 19 households. - topfinish: Motion to accept staff recommendation to file (transcript timecode ~01:51:12).