Council tables request for handicap metered space at 206 West High Street, sends issue to streets committee

Bellefonte Borough Council on Aug. 25 voted to table a request for creation of a handicap metered space in front of 206 West High Street and referred the matter to the borough streets committee for study and recommendation.

The request came from a business owner who plans to relocate a massage therapy and wellness practice into the Indigo Building at 206 West High Street. Gina (staff) explained the owner asked for a near-entry handicapped metered space to help clients with mobility limitations reach the business entrance, which shares access with Little Bears Daycare.

Council members discussed alternatives during the public portion of the agenda. Some members suggested the municipal parking lot’s existing ADA-compliant spaces — which provide level access and avoid on-street traffic — could serve the business’s clients; others noted the lot may be a longer walk for some elderly or mobility-impaired patrons. Council also discussed whether the curb at the recommended on-street spot is flush with the sidewalk and whether the location meets Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidance; Chief Whitmer (name in transcript) said he could not answer ADA compliance on the spot and would need to research legal requirements.

Gina told council she reviewed Google Street View and noted an intact level curb at a third spot down High Street near Little Bears Daycare that the business owner recommended because it is flush with the sidewalk. Council members also noted there are ADA spots in the municipal lot and possibly additional on-street options near Spring Street and other nearby businesses.

Council member Joanne (surname in transcript) moved to table the request and send it to the streets committee. The motion to table passed on a roll-call vote; the council and staff recorded that the business owner had said she could meet with the streets committee if the committee wished to discuss the request in more detail.

Why it matters: the decision affects accessibility for clients who rely on close curb access and requires balancing curb-space allocation, ADA compliance, safety in on-street traffic, and use of municipal parking resources. The streets committee will examine ADA compliance, curb geometry, proximity to the municipal lot, and safety before returning a recommendation to council.

Next steps: the matter has been referred to the streets committee; the transcript records the committee meets on the second Tuesday at 4 p.m. and the business owner was willing to meet with the committee.