ADA Parking Compliance Audit in Brookings, Oregon: What to Expect

Why Brookings Owners Audit Their Lots

An ADA parking audit is a measured walkthrough that compares every accessible feature of your lot to current standards and returns a prioritized fix list. In Brookings, the south coast's heavy winter rain, salt air, and strong summer UV wear down paint and asphalt steadily, so a lot that was compliant when it was striped can quietly drift out of compliance. An audit surfaces those gaps before a customer complaint, an insurer's inspection, or a demand letter forces the issue.

The ADA is enforced largely through private action — any member of the public can flag a barrier — so a faded symbol on a Chetco Avenue stall or a storm-tilted sign at the harbor is enough to draw scrutiny. This guide explains what a Brookings audit covers and how to get ready. For the rules behind the checks, see our ADA parking compliance guide for Oregon.

What the Auditor Checks

The audit follows a consistent sequence. Our ADA compliance audit process page lays out the full methodology; here is what to expect on a Brookings lot.

Stall Count and Van Ratio

The auditor counts total spaces and checks the accessible count against the 2010 ADA Standards: 1 stall for 1 to 25 spaces, 2 for 26 to 50, 3 for 51 to 75, 4 for 76 to 100, plus one per additional 50. At least one in six accessible stalls must be van-accessible. Undersupply is common on older coastal lots striped before current ratios were enforced.

Dimensions and Slope

Each stall is measured for width (8 feet minimum) and its aisle (5 feet standard, 8 feet for van). The auditor verifies the stall and aisle stay within 2 percent slope using a level. Brookings's rolling coastal terrain and marine-soil settlement frequently push originally compliant slopes out of tolerance, making this a high-yield check.

Access Aisle Markings

The aisle is inspected for diagonal hatching, NO PARKING text, and a clear connection to a continuous accessible route. South-coast weathering tends to fade hatch lines to near-invisibility, a frequent flag.

Signage

Each accessible stall needs the accessibility-symbol sign mounted at least 60 inches from ground to bottom of sign, a "Van Accessible" plate where applicable, and Oregon's supplemental fine-amount sign. Coastal storms loosen and tilt posts, so mounting height and plumb are always inspected.

Surface Condition

Cracks over half an inch, potholes, ponding water, and crumbling pavement in the stall, aisle, or route are flagged. The surface must stay firm, stable, and slip-resistant. Brookings's long wet winters keep asphalt damp and accelerate surface wear, so this section often produces findings.

What You Get

A solid audit ends with a written report: a stall-by-stall inventory, photos of each deficiency, the standard each item cites, and a prioritized fix list that separates quick wins (repaint a symbol, raise a sign) from larger work (regrade a stall that exceeds 2 percent slope). Our common ADA parking violations checklist shows the issues that appear most often.

Preparing for Your Brookings Audit

Do a quick self-check first. Walk the lot for faded symbols, low or leaning signs, aisles with no visible hatching, and standing water in accessible areas after a rain — easy to spot given how wet the south coast gets. Photograph what you find. Even an informal pass tells you whether you are facing a simple restripe or a grading project. For local striping context, see our parking lot striping in Brookings guide.

From Findings to Fixes

The point of an audit is the action it drives. Most Brookings findings sort into a few categories, and knowing which one each item belongs to makes budgeting and scheduling straightforward.

Quick paint fixes. A faded International Symbol, a worn aisle hatch, or a missing NO PARKING marking is corrected with a restripe. On the south coast, pair the repaint with a clean, dry surface and consider a longer-lasting paint so wet winters and UV do not erase it within a season.

Signage corrections. A sign mounted below 60 inches, a missing "Van Accessible" plate, or an absent Oregon fine-amount sign is among the cheapest items to resolve — usually a new post or re-mount. Coastal storms loosen posts, so checking the full set while a crew is on site pays off.

Surface repairs. Cracks over half an inch, potholes, and crumbling pavement in the accessible stall, aisle, or route need patching before they spread. Brookings's long wet season accelerates surface wear, so early repair keeps a small fix from becoming a section replacement.

Slope and grading. A stall or aisle over 2 percent slope is the most involved fix, requiring regrading and repaving of the affected area. This is where a professional survey matters most, because the work is structural rather than cosmetic — and Brookings's rolling terrain makes it a common finding.

Sorting the punch list by cost and complexity lets you close cheap, high-visibility items right away while planning any grading work for the next reliable dry window.