Boston family fought for handicapped parking spot for months. When it came, it was too far away.
It took a family in Dorchester months to get a handicapped parking spot on their street. When the city of Boston finally installed it, the spot was too far away.
It's been a long few months for Chanel Aguilar. She's lived in her house on Denvir Street with her 74-year-old mother for 31 years.
Aguilar's mother has diabetes and recently had an accident that increased her visits to the doctor but reduced her mobility to zero. It's what reinvigorated her desire to apply for a handicap parking designation for the spot in front of their home.
Handicapped parking petitions denied
"We would put in petitions and get denied. Put in petitions and get denied," recalled Aguilar.
As is the case all over Boston, many of the homes on her street have turned from single family into multi-family homes in recent years. That means more cars fight for street parking.
"We scramble for places at night, and this is where we try to park," said Aguilar. "If we get the spot, we're here, we will stay here."
After more than 10 weeks of back and forth with the city, Aguilar said one morning she walked outside to find a handicap spot had been installed. The problem is it's down the street.
That started another few weeks' worth of phone calls and emails to city departments to figure out why the spot in front of her home was not considered.
City cites traffic regulation
WBZ-TV reached out to the Boston Transportation Department. A city spokesperson cited a traffic regulation that prevents parking within two feet of a driveway:
"BTD measured the area in front of the applicant's home and determined that there was not enough clearance between neighboring driveways for legal parking. In these cases, the City installs the HP-DV signs as close as possible while abiding by established regulations."
Aguilar said she was confused by that answer as people park in the spot in front of her home every day. She wants the city to review the policy for her mother's well-being.
"I understand there is a blanket rule, but the city is not the city when these rules were made," Aguilar said. "Everything is developing and the neighborhoods are changing. I think each neighborhood should be in consideration of what's happening in that neighborhood."
