Ensign wants parking for disabled at fed buildings

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004 | 10:53 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 and Bible federal buildings 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 that after visits to two federal buildings in Reno and two in Las Vegas he was convinced changes needed to be made to better serve those with disabilities.

The George Federal Building in Las Vegas has 164 parking spaces for government employees, but only with three of those spaces are set aside for the disabled. The public is not allowed to use any of those parking spaces.

Mayes wanted three additional accessible parking spaces. GSA will add the spaces in the lot north of the George building 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.

There is a parking lot to the south of the George building, but it is a city lot with parking meters.

Andy Truelson, GSA property manager for the federal buildings in Nevada, said there is no public parking available at the George building. The courthouse did have about 15 public parking spots on the north end of its outside lot, but the temporary addition of Bankruptcy Court to the building caused those spots to be changed to employee parking.

Bankruptcy Court has since moved back to the renovated Foley Federal Building across the street from the George building on Las Vegas Boulevard South, but the old public spaces have remained employee parking.

The George building also has an underground lot for judges, their staff and U.S. marshals. Prisoners are transported into the building through a loading dock area that also utilizes the building's basement areas.

The Bible Federal Building also has no public spaces, according to Stamison. Mayes also complained about the 16 parking spaces near the Bible 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 courthouses before they arrived to arrange for parking, similar to the practice at the Thompson federal building in Reno.