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The Kearny Town Council will vote March 8 on an ordinance that would fine handicapped permit holders who are at home for parking in a space other than their designated spot. Jonathan Lin | The Jersey Journal

KEARNY -- Town officials introduced an ordinance Tuesday that spells out measures to curb abuses related to handicapped parking permits.

The ordinance, which will have a public hearing and vote on March 8, would fine permit holders who are at home for parking in a space other than their designated spot.

Fines start at $100 for parking in a curbside spot within 200 feet of the perimeter of the property where the permit holder lives. A second offense will translate into the handicapped parking permit being revoked, with the permit holder ineligible to apply for another permit for two years.

The ordinance would also require new permit holders to submit paperwork to renew their permits every year, rather than the two years currently called for in Kearny.

"This is the first step in what will become additional amendments to our handicapped parking ordinance," said Fourth Ward Councilwoman Susan McCurrie, who chairs the town council's Ordinance Committee.

Officials say the new restrictions were sparked by complaints from residents who say some permit holders park in curbside spots farther away from their designated spot to save parking spaces for friends and family members.

In addition, elected officials pulled three handicapped parking applications off the agenda at a town council meeting earlier this month because all three properties have driveways. However, officials acknowledged that they don't know if the applicants have access to those driveways or if the driveways are legal. McCurrie said the town is still investigating the three applications.

Several elected officials have noted that the effort isn't an attempt to question individual disabilities, but instead to curb abuses of permits.

Fourth Ward Councilman Michael Landy called the proposed ordinance "a great first step in handling the parking problem we have."

"It's a shame," said Landy, noting that the town is not required by law to issue handicapped parking permits. "We have people who need handicapped parking spaces, but we also have people who abuse them."

McCurrie agreed. "If you're able to park outside of where your spot is, there is probably not a need for you to have a spot in the first place," she said. "This will make sure that if you have a handicapped spot, you will use that spot."

While calling the proposed ordinance "a step in the right direction," Second Ward Councilman Richard Konopka sought to further ease the parking crunch in Kearny by proposing that the town ask school principals to request teachers to "be more mindful" when parking during work hours.

"They have to make sure they're not taking up two spots or parking over driveways," explained Konopka, adding that he's received complaints from residents who live near schools.

Mayor Al Santos noted that with parking tight throughout town, "That's an issue, not just with school employees, but with residents in town not being considerate."