Handicapped parking issues raised at borough council
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A handicapped parking sign is seen posted on a home's window on North White Street, across from the J.W. Cooper Community Center on Feb. 21, 2023. The Dodge pickup is parked within the only blue lined spot on that side of North White.
SHENANDOAH – Two separate issues involving handicapped parking were raised at Monday night’s meeting of Shenandoah Borough Council.
Denise Gehrman, administrator of the Beverly Mattson Food Bank at the J.W. Cooper Center on North White Street, questioned the borough’s regulations regarding handicapped parking.
Gehrman said, at a recent food distribution, a recipient used a handicapped spot across from the center, which caused a dispute.
“We are consistently having issues and I’ve called the police department out numerous times,” Gehrman told council. “The last time I called, because one of our clients was getting food, obviously walking with a limp, parked in the spot walked across the street getting the food, goes back across, and the woman who lives in this home is honking and yelling profanities.”
“The food insecurities are enough, much less having to be embarrassed and feel belittled by somebody because they can’t park in a spot,” Gehrman said.
She said she called the police and was told that, the next time she called for such an issue, she would be brought in front of the magistrate.
Gehrman said the spot in question, across from the center, is designated with a sign posted on the home’s window.
“I want to get this situated so that the nonsense stops,” Gehrman said.
Katie Catizone, council president, clarified that the handicapped spots designated by the borough are for anyone with a handicapped plate or placard, not specifically the person who requested the spot.
“Any handicapped individual may park in any handicapped spot,” Catizone said. “Just because it is in front of your house and placed there by the borough for your convenience as a handicapped individual, does not mean you are the only person who is allowed to park there.”
Gehrman mentioned that another handicapped spot on North White Street near the center says it is for the resident only. The sign is not a borough-issued sign, Catizone said.
Later in the meeting, council considered a handicapped parking application in the 100 block of South Lehigh Street, an alleyway.
The residents, who were present at the meeting, said he couldn’t park in his alley at all, and said they were willing to park on the sidewalk to keep the narrow alleyway passable.
They also said they had the police called on them for blocking the alleyway, saying they were unloading groceries.
The residents did not identify themselves at the meeting.
Parking of any kind in alleyways, such as Lehigh, Mount Vernon, and Penn, has been prohibited for years and has posed problems for firefighters responding to calls in those alleyways.
Mike Uholik, during the public portion of the meeting, said that Lehigh Street is narrow and often impassable if a vehicle is parked there.
“It’s very narrow down there,” Uholik said.
In other business, borough council:
- Approved retroactive repository bids to purchase 20 West Cherry, 219 East Cherry, and 23 North White for demolition;
- Approved a resolution allocating the remaining $2,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the Girard Park project to the demolition fund;
- Approved a handicapped parking permit for 28 South Catherine;
- Approval of an agreement with Borough Police Chief George Carado effective January 2022 until 2024;
- Approved the annual Kielbasi Fest/Heritage Day for May 20, 2023;
- Approved the Shenandoah Easter Egg Hunt for April 8, 2023 at Bicentennial Park;
- Approved a can collection to be held by the Shenandoah Area Girls’ Softball League on May 26 and May 27;
- Approved the Columbia Hose block party on June 2 and June 3.
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