What an ADA Parking Audit Looks Like in Molalla
If you own or manage a commercial lot in Molalla — a Main Street storefront, a church, a business serving the surrounding farm country, or an event lot — an ADA parking compliance audit is the sensible first step before any striping or paving work. The audit measures your lot against the 2010 ADA Standards and Oregon's accessibility rules so you fix real gaps instead of guessing.
This article walks through what a Molalla audit involves. For the statewide framework, link up to our ADA parking compliance in Oregon pillar; for the generic step-by-step, see our ADA compliance audit process guide.
Why Molalla Properties Get Audited
Audits here are usually triggered by a planned repave or restripe, a customer or tenant complaint, a property sale or refinance, or an attorney demand letter. Even in a small town, accessible parking is enforced under the same federal and state rules as a big-city lot, and the seasonal Buckeroo crowds bring in plenty of out-of-town visitors who notice. Getting ahead of it with an audit is far cheaper than reacting.
Federal ADA penalties can reach $75,000 for a first violation and $150,000 for subsequent ones, and private settlements commonly run into the thousands plus attorney fees. An audit and a striping correction is the inexpensive route.
What the Auditor Checks On Site
Accessible Space Count
The auditor counts total spaces and compares the accessible count to the required ratio — one accessible space per 25 total spaces (or fraction), scaling up on larger lots. Undercounting is one of the most common findings on older small-town lots striped before current ratios.
Van-Accessible Spaces
At least one in six accessible spaces (rounded up) must be van-accessible. Many lots have the right accessible total but no proper van stall, or a van aisle that is too narrow.
Stall and Aisle Dimensions
Standard accessible stalls must be at least 8 feet wide with a 5-foot access aisle; van stalls use 8 feet plus an 8-foot aisle (or 11 plus 5). The auditor tapes the widths and confirms aisles carry diagonal hatching and are not parked over.
Slope
Accessible stalls and aisles must not exceed 2 percent in any direction. Molalla's foothill lots can sit on grades or settle out of tolerance, and standing water in an accessible stall is a common warning sign. A digital level on the surface confirms it, and a slope failure usually means regrading rather than restriping.
Signage
Each accessible stall needs a sign with the wheelchair symbol mounted at least 60 inches above grade, a "Van Accessible" plate on van stalls, and Oregon's fine-notice plate. The auditor checks height, content, and condition.
Surface Condition
Cracks wider than half an inch, potholes, abrupt level changes over a quarter inch, and ponding water in accessible stalls, aisles, or the route to the entrance are findings. Oregon's wet winters and freeze-thaw drive crack growth in older asphalt. The full list is in our common ADA parking violations checklist.
The Audit Report
A useful audit gives you a written report that lists each finding, references the standard, rates severity, and recommends a fix — repaint, restripe to a corrected layout, regrade a sloped stall, replace a sign, or repair a surface defect. Good reports separate quick striping fixes from larger grading or paving so you can budget in stages.
Audit to Fix in Molalla
The usual flow is: audit, then a striping correction for counts, widths, symbols, and aisles, with signage folded in. Slope and surface failures are scheduled separately because they need grading or asphalt repair. Restriping is the right moment to apply the layout corrections so you pay for measurement and mobilization once — see our parking lot striping in Molalla guide for local pricing context.
Cost of an Audit
A professional ADA parking assessment has historically been baselined around $500–$2,000 depending on lot size and scope, though actual pricing varies by property. Against the cost of a violation or lawsuit, it is inexpensive insurance — and it ensures any striping or paving money you spend actually closes the gaps that matter.