It shall be unlawful to park any motor vehicle which is not bearing registration plates issued to a physically handicapped person pursuant to 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/3-616, or to a disabled veteran, pursuant to 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/3-609, or not bearing such decals or devices as the City Clerk shall issue to a handicapped person or disabled veteran upon request, in parking places specifically reserved for handicapped persons by the posting of an official sign or any painted mark or line designating any parking space as being reserved for the handicapped. However, notwithstanding the foregoing prohibition, any owner or operator of a vehicle not bearing registration plates or decals or devices as provided in the foregoing sentence which is parked in a space reserved for the handicapped, shall not be guilty of any violation under the provisions of this chapter if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence that any such vehicle allegedly parked in violation of this chapter was at the time either operated by a disabled person or was being used under the direction of a disabled person while he or she was present in the immediate surrounding area. (Ord. 18/80, 4-6-1981; amd. Ord. 26/2016, 1-3-2017)