Council asks staff to draft on-street disabled-parking application after spike in requests

Millersville Borough Council directed staff to draft a sample application and policy for residents seeking on-street accessible parking spaces after staff reported an increase in requests.

Rebecca (borough staff) told the public works committee the borough has received more requests from residents who lack off-street parking and want a designated on-street accessible parking space near their home. "It would be helpful to know council's sort of feeling on if we get a request like this, how we should handle it," she said, explaining the borough's current special-purpose parking-zone language requires an ordinance and a public hearing to create a dedicated on-street space.

Council members discussed safeguards: requiring an application, documentation of the applicant's state-issued disabled placard, limiting spots where residents have off-street options, and periodic renewals so spaces do not remain designated when no qualifying resident lives at the address. One council member noted municipalities use a renewal period (one to three years) to address turnover; another raised concerns about administrative tracking.

There was no ordinance change at the meeting. Staff agreed to draft a sample application and a recommended renewal process and bring it back to the public works committee for review at a future meeting. Council emphasized the policy should reserve on-street accommodations for cases where reasonable off-street alternatives do not exist and should include clear documentation requirements.