Resident raises concerns about misuse of accessible-parking placards; police and city to follow up

A Stow resident told the Commission on Inclusion on Jan. 28 that he regularly sees apparent misuse of accessible-parking placards and asked the city and police to work on education and enforcement.

Matt Schonover, who said he was born with Apert syndrome and uses an accessible-parking placard daily, told commissioners he had researched reports from other states of fake placards and relatives' placards being used by people who are not the placard holder. "I personally use one daily," Schonover said, describing chronic health problems that make walking difficult.

The commission and city staff discussed possible responses, including public education campaigns and closer coordination with the police department. Stow Police Chief (name not specified in the record) said officers patrol shopping areas and will ticket vehicles parked in accessible spaces when no placard is displayed. "If they don't have a placard, that's an automatic. We don't wait for them or anything else," the chief said, adding that officers cannot routinely look up placard ID numbers because the department lacks a system to match placard numbers to individuals.

Officials said enforcement has practical limits. The chief noted that many disabilities are not visible and that questioning a person about a medical condition can be delicate. The chief also said Stow is geographically dispersed and lacks a concentrated downtown, which makes continuous parking enforcement more difficult, but that officers will attend complaints in areas where they are working.

Commission members and Schonover discussed outreach ideas that would emphasize positive community behavior rather than only punitive messages. Suggestions included a short public-awareness campaign, yard signs, and use of social media and existing community pages to highlight the importance of leaving accessible spaces for people who need them.

City staff and the police agreed to follow up with Schonover. The police said they would check ticketing numbers and other enforcement data and the mayor's office or designated staff (Brooke) said they would set a time for Schonover, the police chief and city staff to meet to discuss possible education and enforcement steps.

Speakers at the meeting also noted that the number and placement of accessible spaces are determined under state rules during the building-permit and planning process; the commission did not receive or set any municipal penalties at the meeting. When asked whether the city or state sets the fine amount, a city representative said that the fine level is set by state law (amount not specified in the meeting record).

The discussion took place during the meeting's public-comment period; no formal motion or vote was taken on the topic.