A. Parking Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle in any parking zone which is restricted to handicapped or disabled parking only, and which is situated upon city property or other property upon which the city is empowered, by contract, to regulate parking, unless such parking is permitted by subsection B of this section.
Any person found guilty of violating this subsection A shall be fined three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00) in addition to any costs or charges connected with the removal or storage of any motor vehicle as authorized under subsection E of this section. (Ord. 10-16-0, 4-14-2010)
B. Parking Permitted: A person may park a motor vehicle in a parking zone restricted to disabled or handicapped parking only if such vehicle is occupied, when arriving in such zone, or intended to be occupied when leaving such zone, by at least one person who is "physically disabled" within the definition contained in 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/1-159.1 of the Illinois vehicle code, or is physically handicapped so as to qualify for a handicapped parking identification card issued by any township government within Cook County, Illinois. (1970 Code §4-5.02)
C. Display Of Special Registration License Plate Or Handicapped Identification Card: If any motor vehicle parked in a zone restricted to disabled and handicapped parking only displays special registration license plates issued for the benefit of disabled or physically handicapped persons by the state of Illinois, or any other state or territory of the United States, or displays a handicapped parking identification card issued by any township government within Cook County, Illinois, upon the driver's visor so as to be visible when the visor is in the down position, it may be presumed by any police officer that the vehicle is lawfully parked in such restricted zone.
However, such presumption may be overcome by a showing that such motor vehicle was neither used to transport a disabled or handicapped person to such restricted zone nor intended to be used to transport such person from such restricted zone, in which case the person parking such motor vehicle shall be guilty of a violation of subsection A of this section. (1970 Code §4-5.03)
D. Improper Use Of Special Plates Or Identification Card:
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to lend to another any special registration license plate or plates or handicapped parking identification card issued to him if the person desiring to borrow the same would not be entitled to the use thereof, nor shall any person knowingly permit the use of any of the same by one not entitled thereto, nor shall any person display upon the vehicle any special registration license plate or handicapped parking identification card not issued for such vehicle or not otherwise lawfully used thereon under this section.
2. No person shall duplicate, alter or attempt to reproduce in any manner a handicapped parking identification card issued by any township government within Cook County, Illinois, and use the same or such card which has been so duplicated, altered or reproduced by another, within the city.
3. Violation of this subsection D is meant to constitute a separate and distinct violation from a violation of subsection A of this section, and any person found guilty of violating this subsection D shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each offense. (1970 Code §4-5.04; amd. Ord. 85-32-0, 6-26-1985)
E. Removal Of Unauthorized Vehicles: The police department, with regard to any public parking facility, or any person or other entity operating any private off street parking facility and after prior notice to the police department, may remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any vehicle parked within a stall or space reserved for use by the handicapped which does not display handicapped registration plates or a special decal or device as required under this chapter. (Ord. 85-32-0, 6-26-1985)