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Working group urges formal disability exemptions; legal clarity sought
Summary
The working group recommended formalizing disability-related exemptions to Newton—s overnight parking ban and advised the council to confirm legal interpretations with state authorities, citing Brookline and Watertown examples.
Chris Markowitz said the committee—s report emphasizes disability access and presents multiple ordinance options: maintain the status quo (police/ADA coordinator process), shift primary authority to the city ADA coordinator, automatically exempt marked accessible parking spaces, or allow police-tracked overnight permits tied to state disability placards. He recommended codifying an exemption in ordinance language rather than relying on informal practice.
Ginny Fairley, a report contributor, described how some neighboring municipalities operate: "In Brookline the person just has to put up the placard and park overnight," she said, arguing that a placard-based exemption is administratively simple but noting that city legal review is required. Members asked staff to confirm state law interpretations and consult the city law department and, if appropriate, the attorney general—s guidance before drafting final ordinance language.
