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Fall River traffic board grants most handicap parking requests, denies one citing driveway access
Summary
At the June 17 meeting the board approved several on-street handicap parking requests, denied the request at 159 St. Mary Street because the homeowner has driveway access, and approved rescinding multiple unused handicap spaces; staff said installation will take about 12 weeks and requires ordinance/council action.
The Fall River Traffic Board reviewed multiple applications for on-street handicap parking at its June 17 meeting, approving the majority of requests but denying one application because the homeowner retained driveway access.
A resident seeking a handicap space at 159 St. Mary Street described caregiving duties and medical limitations, saying she has "severe neuropathy in my feet, which I can't feel anything from my shins down to my feet," and that her mother has Chiari malformation and severe asthma that make accessing a rear driveway unsafe. The board noted the department had received a property-owner letter and staff inspections were completed.
A board member cited the board's baseline guideline that access to a driveway typically disqualifies an applicant from receiving an on-street handicap space, saying, "It's your driveway. And I was in your driveway yesterday, and I agree with you, it's very steep... but it's your driveway that you have access to that you can control," and moved to deny the request. The motion to deny the 159 St. Mary Street application was seconded and approved.
The board also denied a request from 111 June Street after a member who inspected the site described a shallow driveway grade and suggested the homeowner pursue internal reconfiguration with the condo association instead of granting an on-street space. The motion to deny 111 June Street was seconded and carried.
Several other handicap parking applications were approved. A tenant at 76 Trip Street, a tenant at 511 Cherry Street, an applicant at 102 Palmer Street and a tenant requesting a space for an elderly relative at 65 Plain Street each had police department checks showing no issues; the board approved those applications. Staff told applicants that signage and installation typically take about 12 weeks and that the matter still needs ordinance and City Council approval before final implementation.
Traffic department staff asked the board to rescind a set of handicap spaces no longer used by listed individuals (reasons included moving, no longer driving or death) for addresses dating from 2007 to 2021; the board approved rescinding those spaces.
The board recorded motions and votes for each approved or denied application and instructed staff to proceed with the standard follow-up and notification steps.
