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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 01/21/2021Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 1 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254 1. CALL TO ORDER Terry Schlicting called to order at 5:34pm 2. ROLL CALL Present: Terry Schlicting, Anna Fuller, Davina Lau, Marilee Boylan, Sami Peterson, Linda Drees, Rachel Knox-Stutsman, Joe Tiner, Mandy Morgan Board Members Absent: none Staff Members Present: Carol Thomas, Jennifer Skulski Guests: Todd Dangerfield, Cara Scohy 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4. AGENDA REVIEW • Accepted 5. WELCOME to new COD members and Introductions 6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION • None 7. GUESTS • Todd Dangerfield, DDA: Alley Enhancement Project – Design Proposals o Since 2006, completion of Tenney Alley and Trimble Court, both pilots designed and developed to use alleys to enhance access and improvement to Old Town o Have now enhanced 7 alleys in downtown o 2019, 10 remaining alleys have been approved by DDA (Downtown Development Authority). o Began in 2020 and will continue until 2029, two alleys at a time. o Now:  Tenney Court North, wraps around civic center structure  West Oak Street Alley, behind Ace Hardware o Design process thought capital project review process and engagement from business owners and subcommittees o DDA Board of Directors have approved designs, currently at 90% of final refinement stage of design Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 2 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254  Cobblestone is less friendly for mobility-related users, will be using better elements moving forward  Enhanced lighting  Ground and above head lighting  Better placement of trash containers, consolidated to 2-3 locations throughout the alley, pulling them out of the right-of-way  More pedestrian friendly  “Welcome Mats” for businesses into alleys  Tried to create a theme that is relevant to the alley, not all designs are/will be the same o Each project is coordinated with city utilities, for those in the air and those that need updated to have work done before enhancement is started  Storm line in one alley will be updated  Other utilities will be taken underground (versus in air) o Video presentation from DDA o Plan views: o Tenney Court: off of Laporte Ave and entrance off of Mason, include festive lights  Will be replacing additional lighting through alley with hanging planter baskets  Provides character, darker pattern expresses likeness to the river  Vinyl wrap/mural will be landmarks from Poudre Canyon, on parking garage wall  Pavers are vehicular-rated, defined edge (not tumbled), provide a textured but non-jointed overlay  Slopes are gentle through alley o West Oak: theme of hospitality and entertainment  Connects Mountain Ave to Oak Street Plaza to Olive Street  Fun pattern at entrances, from Ace Gillette café themes  Gateway features and structures that provide daytime shade and nighttime lighting  Highlights entrances to businesses with same festive themes o Questions: o What processes are in place to ensure accessibility  CARA: DDA has list of minimums and maximums for cross-slopes and other accessibility requirements Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 3 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254 o How do you assure that accessibility standards are met from design into built environment?  TODD: Construction services help with quality assurance in the field to oversee design review, engineering, and then during installation as well. o Aim to be complete by November, holiday time  Tenney final design will be end of Feb, Construction will begin in March (sewer upsizing first  West Oak will begin in April  Parking and delivering accommodations are monitored to ensure business remains as normal QUESTIONS o MARILEE: Any accessible parking being moved?  TODD: No, all red zones and accessibility parking is eliminated or offset o TERRY: Plans for crosswalk from Laporte Ave to Washington (event center)?  TODD: Larger plan in future for Master Plan designs for “microspaces” for places that could be a public gathering space (similar to old town square). That area can create a safer connection between the streets, and increase accessibility. o TERRY: any documents to look at curb cutouts, seating placements, and such  TODD: latest renditions will be shared by Cara as soon as they are available o JOE: will access be retained during construction?  TODD: must retain access, phasing of construction ensures that there is continually access to sidewalks during construction, staging of materials, cement replacement. All detoured routes will be accessible o SAMI: Have you coordinated with police services?  TODD: Yes, day-to-day coordination, video surveillance is installed on trash enclosures. Consults on making sure that alleys are safer and do not increase unsafe areas o CAROL: what type of pavers?  TODD: Pave stones style of pavers, similar to Old Town Square will differing colors, shapes, patterns. Not tumbled, cobblestone type o SAMI: Snow and Ice accommodations?  TODD: Contract with Parks Department to maintain alleys, all of the enhanced alleys are snowplowed by City Parks Department o CAROL: What type of maintenance is set for when pavers become unsettled? Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 4 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254  TODD: DDA never embarks on a new alley unless we can maintain the ones that we’ve completed. Continuous maintenance program, with secured funding. Trimble Court has been replaces already once in these first ten years. Pavestone product has good longevity. Pavers are placed on a concrete, then sand bed to minimize ware. Behind the scenes maintenance is robust and ongoing o SAMI: Places to sit in these alleys?  CARA: seating has been consolidated to near entrances, so they are near lighting and where activity is occurring. Safety is priority. Tenney; Some of the images are brought down into alleys to provide seating that is incorporated with boulders and benches West Oak; seating is in well lighted area, planter pots help create barrier to traffic, seating is tucked in a little more. Had to remain mindful of allowing delivery trucks for businesses. o SAMI: There needs to be space for a wheelchair next to the benches where able-bodied folks will be seated so they won’t be in the alley walking traffic. • Jennifer Skulski, Project Consultant for ADA Assessment and Transition Plan for Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas o Accessibility Assessment, data collection, and report back to city regarding “Program Access” under Title II (two) o Municipalities must make program services and activities accessible to people with disabilities. What are the primary and secondary experiences for people, and do they have barriers that prevent people with disabilities? o Physical environments and Participation for all people  Accessibility Assessment • Exterior Routes, Visitor Information, Parking, Exhibits and Interpretive Information, Programs and Experiences, picnic areas/etc, Restrooms, Other amenities • Following the visitors sequence of using a space • Physical, visual, hearing, sensory, cognitive impairments • Based on 2010 standards for recreational design and other best practices in the field • Suggestions go above and beyond with universal design approach • Consultation is onsite 24-30 days, low profile, collect data/photos Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 5 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254 • Rate barriers on a 4 point scale – critical/serious/moderate/minor  Self-Evaluation  Transition Plan  Action Plan o ADA Transition Planning: What are COD’s areas (trails, city parks, and natural areas) of concern? Approach to transition planning? How should accessibility improvements be prioritized and scheduled? o LINDA: Some of the grades on the underpasses on trails seem steep for a wheelchair or side-by-side bike  JENNIFER: many of those paths are shared-use paths, which gives more leeway on user slopes. Max use to be 10%, but will be changing to state “least possible slope”. Trails have not been mapped so users will know ahead of time and make decisions about alternative route use o LINDA: Bikers in Fort Collins bike more than 15mph on trails, signage could do more.  JENNIFER: Recommending for multiple maps along sites. On bike paths there are small signs to label paths, more guidance is needed to add navigations and wayfinding for people with no vision, low vision, and cognitive impairments. The City prefers to make signage small, there are no ADA guidelines requiring this, but there are best practices to look at o MARILEE: Some parts of the year, trails become flooded Twin silos becomes overgrown and needs more year-round care o RACHEL: Unable to find a master list of accessible trails and paths  JENNIFER: Each park has their own website, and should be listed. Parks, natural areas and recreation all have to promote those lists to the public. o TERRY: Gateway park, is there river access? Other than bridge (which isn’t very accessible).  JENNIFER: Entrance half is less accessible, but the back half is very accessible. Needs continuous accessible route throughout park Open areas in the grass, and she has identified opportunities for river access there o MANDY: Swimming pools (City Park pool) is not accessible at all. Renovations were intended to happen, but covid may have changed that. Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Zoom Access via City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue 1/21/2021 – MINUTES Page 6 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (COD) REGULAR MEETING – Contact: Carol Thomas, Equal Opportunity & Compliance Manager – 416-4254  CAROL: Will check in with Karen (operation services) regarding updates. Locker rooms, benches, some railings and leveling entrances will be adjusted, pool leveling is less likely. o SAMI: Rolland Moore, softball and seating, practicing is always in the grass. Can warm-up fields be installed? Steep decline to field. Seating is difficult to navigate, multiple falls each season in cement seating area.  JENNIFER: No accessible route to team seating areas. The design at the time, was not accessible (building seating into the hill), but it has to be recognized that those designs create barriers for inclusive participation. This is why COD input is so important to help these accommodations to begin progressing o SAMI: Use of picnic areas at Edora Park, doesn’t allow for 6-foot space (necessary during covid) while picnicking, can those spaces be re-imagined in the way those are structured for user friendliness, not just eating? More social, circular, wheelchair accessible, shaded o Additional approaches and feedback from COD can be sent to Carol, and she will send them off to Jennifer. 8. NEW BUSINESS 9. OLD BUSINESS o 2020 Annual Report o Motion by Marilee to approve the Annual Report as Amended, second by Terry, Unanimously approved o Mandy: Would like someone from Transfort to address that covid changes are still affecting timing on accessible routes. Carol will schedule them for next month. o Linda: for next month- how is the county and city addressing emergency preparedness to include people with disabilities? o Sami: Housing regulations regarding you+2 requirements for people with disabilities. Carol will forward workplan for review, and can address more next month. 10. ADJORNMENT Terry Schlicting called to adorn at 7:42pm, second by Mandy. Next meeting will be February 18th, 2021, on zoom.