Handicapped Spots: No Exceptions In Burr Ridge

BURR RIDGE, IL — An assistant restaurant manager in Burr Ridge who was cited on a handicapped parking violation last year told the village that he needed to park there, despite lacking a disability.

The village's administrative hearing officer rejected his argument.

In a December hearing, the manager, who works at Hampton Social in the Village Center, acknowledged he parked in the handicapped spot Oct. 14. He said he was doing a cash drop and that he parked in the handicapped spot for safety reasons. He said a camera was pointed at the spot and that he wanted to get in and out.

"I was scared to carry all that cash," he said. "I occupied the spot for less than two minutes."

He also said he had his hazard lights on.

The hearing officer, Denise Filan, was unconvinced. She said the handicapped space in question was for handicapped people visiting Hampton Social or other businesses in the Village Center.

"We can't allow you to park in a handicapped spot, even if your flashers are on or even if you are the assistant manager for Hampton Social," Filan said. "Any other individual who parks in a handicapped spot receives a ticket and a fine."

She suggested the manager find another employee to accompany him or call the police to see if they would watch him carrying the cash to his car, though she said that wasn't the village's responsibility.

Filan fined him $250. The maximum is $350 in Illinois.

The manager said he could pay the fine right away.

Patch obtained the hearing's audio from a public records request related to another issue that day before the same hearing officer.