ADRIAN — Does downtown Adrian have enough handicap-accessible parking spaces? That question was discussed at the Nov. 4 Adrian City Commission meeting at the request of Mayor Angie Sword Heath.

Matt Tomaszewski, director of parks and engineering services, said that the 41 accessible parking spaces downtown are nearly double the required amount, but they are nearly all in the parking lots behind the buildings on Main and Maumee Streets. There are 575 public parking spaces downtown in total.

“We don’t have very many parking spaces on the street that are barrier-free,” Tomaszewski said. “We do have one — it’s located right next to Phoenix Rising on West Maumee.”

Tomaszewski said one of the reasons for this is that getting in and out of a car is safer in the parking lots than in the street, where on one side there is traffic and on the other there are sidewalks that have a variety of obstacles, including tree boxes, benches, flower pots and trash cans.

“We do feel that it is safer and easier to use in the lots than it would be in the street,” he said.

A particular point of concern, which Adrian resident Keith Miller brought up during the public comment section of a few recent meetings, is that it’s not especially easy for anyone who needs accessible parking to make it to city commission meetings, which take place in the City Chambers building at 159 E. Maumee St.

City administrator Greg Elliott asked Tomaszewski where he would recommend on-street accessible parking if the goal were to improve access to the commission chambers. Tomaszewski said there is a spot on Broad Street in front of Crossroads Church that might be the best option, although it would require Michigan Department of Transportation approval since that part of Broad Street is a state road.

Commissioner Matt Schwartz said the city needs to improve the accessible parking situation.

“We’ve got to do a better job,” he said. “We don’t need to meet the minimum on this, we need to meet or exceed expectations.”

Schwartz also said it would be good to locate barrier-free parking in the middle of blocks to minimize the distance people would need to walk to reach any destination on that block.

That would also result in the parking spots being located near crosswalks, which Tomaszewski said is considered a best practice.

Commissioner Mary Roberts said she feels that although accessible parking on Main Street could be difficult and even dangerous, Maumee Street should be feasible given the presence of the bike lane that acts as a buffer between parked cars and traffic.

Mayor Heath also voiced her support for adding on-street accessible parking spaces on Maumee Street.