Politics & Government

Birmingham's Free Parking for Disabled About to End

New ADA-compliant parking meters will be installed this summer, making Birmingham's policy consistent with its neighbors'.

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Beth Dalbey, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

BIRMINGHAM, MI – If you’re disabled and display a valid handicapped permit on your vehicle, be prepared to pay to park in Birmingham.

City officials plan to end a long-standing policy that offered free, unlimited handicapped parking this summer with the installation of dozens of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant parking meters, The Birmingham Eccentric reports.

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City Manager Joe Valentine said the change is consistent with policies in neighboring communities and meets ADA requirements in both accessibility and per capita spots.

“When the Advisory Parking Committee did a review of the policy and looked at how other communities are administering their handicapped parking, we were the only ones not charging,” he said. “This new change brings all spaces on the street into conformity.”

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However, Mayor Rackeline Hoff said some senior citizens she has talked to aren’t happy with the plan.

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Only one of the 14 spaces at The Community House is designated for handicapped parking under the plan, and that’s “really a concern” among seniors, she said.

“Several people said they won’t be able to attend programs any longer if they’re forced to walk a distance,” Hoff said.

» Read more about the policy on hometownlife.com.

Image Credit: D.J. Lein via Flickr / Creative Commons

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