Ensign seeks parking for disabled at fed buildings

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004 | 9:47 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., wants accessible parking for disabled members of the public at federal buildings in the state, including two in Las Vegas.

The General Services Administration recently told the Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center that more parking spots could not be added close to the George Federal Building and the Bible Building in Las Vegas.

But Ensign told GSA Administrator Stephen Perry that he wants a second opinion.

"I believe that the federal government should lead by example and accommodate individuals with disabilities to ensure equal access to federal facilities," Ensign wrote Perry Wednesday. "To do otherwise would effectively deny tax-paying citizens the ability to access taxpayer-owned federal buildings and their representatives."

Jack Mayes, executive director of the center, told the GSA regional office in July after visits to two courthouses in Reno and a courthouse and federal building in Las Vegas, he believed changes needed to be made to better serve those with disabilities.

The Las Vegas courthouse has 164 parking spaces for government employees only with three of those spaces set aside for the disabled. The public is not allowed to use any of those parking spaces.

Mayes wanted three additional accessbile parking spaces. GSA will add the spaces but says those too will be only for employees.

"Unfortunately, the specific function and mission of the Lloyd Geroge U.S. District Courthouse will not permit the general public to enter their secure parking area with privately owned vehicles," GSA Regional Administrator Peter Stamison wrote to Mayes.

The same goes for the Bible Building,, according to Stamison. Mayes also complained about the 16 parking spaces near the building being only for government employees and requested one more.

But Stamison said there are actually 196 spaces with four designated for the disabled. He said the GSA will add two more spaces but they will still be for employees only. There is some street parking available, but Mayes said there was not enough accessible parking on the street or in a parking lot two blocks away.

"The City of Las Vegas will not permit street parking within a close vicinity to the Alan Bible building due to the high volume of vehicular traffic," Stamison wrote. "The adjacent parking lot is owned and operated by the owner of the adjacent building, the government has no control over its use."

Ensign said one of his state offices is in the George Building and he has received complaints from constituents about parking problems.

"I believe that it is reasonable to ask that disabled individuals, with appropriate permits, be given access to available accessible parking spaces," Ensign said. "Clearly it would be reasonable to require these individuals to undergo vehicle screening that is required of federal building employees who utilize the parking lots."

He also recommended allowing those with disabilities to contact federal buildings before they arrived to arrange for parking, similar to the practice at the Thompson federal building in Reno.