2001 Minnesota Statutes

     169.346 Disability parking spaces; requirements, 
  prohibitions, enforcement. 

    Subdivision 1.    Parking criteria.  A person shall not: 

    (1) park a motor vehicle in or obstruct access to a parking 
 space designated and reserved for the physically disabled, on 
 either private or public property; 

    (2) park a motor vehicle in or obstruct access to an area 
 designated by a local governmental unit as a transfer zone for 
 disabled persons; 

    (3) exercise the parking privilege provided in section 
 169.345, unless:  

    (i) that person is a physically disabled person as defined 
 in section 169.345, subdivision 2, or the person is transporting 
 or parking a vehicle for a physically disabled person; and 

    (ii) the vehicle visibly displays one of the following:  a 
 license plate issued under section 168.021, a certificate issued 
 under section 169.345, a temporary permit valid for 30 days 
 issued under section 168.021 or 169.345, or an equivalent 
 certificate, insignia, or license plate issued by another state, 
 a foreign country, or one of its political subdivisions; or 

    (4) park a motor vehicle in an area used as a regular route 
 transit stopping point where a transit vehicle that is 
 accessible to the physically disabled regularly stops and a sign 
 that bears the international symbol of access in white on blue 
 is posted.  A sign posted under this clause may display other 
 information relating to the regular route transit service.  For 
 purposes of this clause, an area used as a regular route transit 
 stopping point consists of the 80 feet immediately preceding the 
 sign described in this clause. 

    Subd. 2.    Signs; parking space free of obstruction; 
 penalty.  (a) Parking spaces reserved for physically disabled 
 persons must be designated and identified by the posting of 
 signs incorporating the international symbol of access in white 
 on blue and indicating that violators are subject to a fine of 
 up to $200.  These parking spaces are reserved for disabled 
 persons with vehicles displaying the required certificate, 
 license plates, temporary permit valid for 30 days, or insignia. 
 Signs sold after August 1, 1991, must conform to the design 
 requirements in this paragraph.  For purposes of this 
 subdivision, a parking space that is clearly identified as 
 reserved for physically disabled persons by a permanently posted 
 sign that does not meet all design standards, is considered 
 designated and reserved for physically disabled persons.  A sign 
 posted for the purpose of this section must be visible from 
 inside a vehicle parked in the space, be kept clear of snow or 
 other obstructions which block its visibility, and be nonmovable 
 or only movable by authorized persons. 

    (b) The owner or manager of the property on which the 
 designated parking space is located shall ensure that the space 
 is kept free of obstruction.  If the owner or manager allows the 
 space to be blocked by snow, merchandise, or similar 
 obstructions for 24 hours after receiving a warning from a peace 
 officer, the owner or manager is guilty of a misdemeanor and 
 subject to a fine of up to $500. 

    Subd. 3.    Misdemeanor; enforcement.  A person who 
 violates subdivision 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be 
 fined not less than $100 or more than $200.  This subdivision 
 shall be enforced in the same manner as parking ordinances or 
 regulations in the governmental subdivision in which the 
 violation occurs.  Law enforcement officers have the authority 
 to tag vehicles parked on either private or public property in 
 violation of subdivision 1.  Parking enforcement employees or 
 agents of statutory or home rule charter cities or towns have 
 the authority to tag or otherwise issue citations for vehicles 
 parked on public property in violation of subdivision 1.  If a 
 holder of a disability certificate or disability plates allows a 
 person who is not otherwise eligible to use the certificate or 
 plates, then the holder shall not be eligible to be issued or to 
 use a disability certificate or plates for 12 months after the 
 date of violation.  A physically disabled person, or a person 
 parking a vehicle for a disabled person, who is charged with 
 violating subdivision 1 because the person parked in a parking 
 space for physically disabled persons without the required 
 certificate, license plates, or temporary permit shall not be 
 convicted if the person produces in court or before the court 
 appearance the required certificate, temporary permit, or 
 evidence that the person has been issued license plates under 
 section 168.021, and demonstrates entitlement to the 
 certificate, plates, or temporary permit at the time of arrest 
 or tagging. 

    Subd. 4.    Local ordinance; citizen enforcement program. 
  A statutory or home rule charter city may, by ordinance, 
 establish a program to enforce the parking restrictions of this 
 section or any similar local ordinance, relating to parking 
 spaces for the physically disabled, by using citizen volunteers 
 to issue citations to violators.  The ordinance shall contain a 
 process for training program participants in the requirements of 
 the law, the method of issuing citations, and other related 
 matters.  Program participants who satisfy the training 
 requirements of the ordinance are authorized to issue citations 
 for violations of this section and are exempt from any other 
 training or licensure requirements imposed on law enforcement 
 officers by chapter 626. 

    Subd. 5.    Local ordinance; long-term parking.  A 
 statutory or home rule charter city may enact an ordinance 
 establishing a permit program for long-term parking. 

    HIST: 1977 c 205 s 1; 1979 c 31 s 3; 1979 c 277 s 5-7; 1983 c 
 24 s 1; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 355 s 8; 1990 c 482 s 2; 1990 c 497 s 
 12; 1991 c 301 s 5,6; 1992 c 424 s 1; 1993 c 83 s 3; 1993 c 98 s 
 6-8; 1993 c 130 s 1; 1994 c 495 s 1; 1999 c 238 art 2 s 19,20