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

What an ADA Parking Audit Looks Like in Warrenton

If you own or manage a property in Warrenton — a big-box store, a shopping center, a chain restaurant, or a storefront serving the North Coast and its tourists — an ADA parking compliance audit is the structured walk-through that tells you exactly where your lot stands. It is not a citation and it is not an enforcement action. It is a measured inspection comparing what is painted, posted, and graded against the 2010 ADA Standards and Oregon's accessible parking law, ORS 447.233.

Warrenton has some of the largest, highest-traffic parking lots on the Oregon coast, and the coastal environment makes them harder to keep compliant. Salt air corrodes signage, constant moisture fades paint, and flat low-lying terrain creates drainage-driven slope problems. This guide explains what an audit checks and what the findings mean for Clatsop County owners. For the statewide framework, see our ADA parking compliance guide for Oregon.

Why Warrenton Properties Get Audited

Most audits are voluntary and proactive. Common triggers here include:

• A planned repave or restripe. Resurfacing can count as an "alteration" under ADA, triggering compliance work. On a large retail lot, auditing first lets you scope it into one project.
• High-traffic exposure. Big-box and shopping-center lots serve large volumes of customers and tourists, which raises both the importance of compliance and the visibility of any gap.
• A demand letter or complaint. Serial ADA plaintiffs target high-traffic retail parking statewide.
• Risk management. Insurers and lenders increasingly ask for accessibility documentation.

An audit on your own schedule always costs less than one forced by a complaint.

The Six Things an Auditor Checks

A thorough audit walks every accessible space and the route to each entrance. The full methodology is in our guide to the ADA compliance audit process.

1. Accessible Stall Count

The auditor counts total stalls and confirms the correct accessible count. Warrenton's big-box lots reach the higher tiers — 201–300 stalls require seven accessible spaces, 301–400 require eight, and lots over 500 use 2 percent of total.

2. Van-Accessible Ratio

At least one in six accessible spaces must be van-accessible — so a lot with seven accessible spaces needs at least two van. The auditor also checks that accessible stalls are distributed across entrances, not clustered.

3. Stall and Aisle Dimensions

The inspector measures stall width (8 feet minimum), access aisle width (5 feet standard, 8 feet van), and confirms diagonal hatching and a flush, level aisle.

4. Slope

Using a digital level, the auditor checks that stalls and aisles stay within 2 percent slope. Warrenton's flat coastal terrain and high water table make drainage-driven slope drift and ponding frequent findings.

5. Signage

Each space needs the wheelchair-symbol sign at least 60 inches above grade, a "Van Accessible" plate where required, and Oregon's supplemental fine-amount sign. The auditor often notes salt-corroded posts and hardware here.

6. The Accessible Route

The auditor follows the path from accessible stalls to each entrance, checking for level changes over a quarter inch, cracks wider than a half inch, potholes, and a continuous slip-resistant surface.

Reading Your Audit Findings

Findings are usually sorted by severity. The most common Warrenton findings mirror the 10 most common ADA parking violations, with a coastal twist:

• Faded symbols and aisle markings — accelerated by salt air and constant moisture
• Corroded or non-compliant signage — salt-eaten hardware, missing fine plate, too low
• Too few van-accessible spaces — common on lots striped before current ratios
• Accessible stalls clustered rather than distributed across entrances
• Drainage-driven slope drift and ponding on flat lots
• Cart corrals blocking aisles at big-box lots

Most findings are inexpensive striping and signage fixes. Slope, drainage, and route grading are the larger-budget items.

What Happens After the Audit

A good audit hands you a prioritized remediation plan:

1. Quick wins. Restripe faded stalls and aisles, repaint symbols, install or replace corroded signage.
2. Aisle and layout corrections. Add a van aisle, redistribute stalls across entrances, and reposition cart corrals clear of aisles — best done during a restripe.
3. Grading and surface work. Address slope, drainage, and route defects with targeted regrading or repaving.

Many fixes pair naturally with maintenance already planned, which is why auditing before a repave saves money.

Timing a Warrenton Audit

The best time to audit is before your striping season — late spring — so any findings can be corrected in the driest stretch of the year when paint cures properly. Because coastal conditions wear markings faster, Warrenton owners benefit from auditing on a tighter cycle than inland properties.