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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 03/11/2004Attendance: Mark Beck Laura Bennett loanie Cook Jerry Patterson Rose Russell Melinda Suits Susan Williams Jeff Harris Commission On Oisability Minutes — March Regular Meeting Council Information Center, City Hall Bulking, 300 LaPorte Ave. Match 11, 2004 City Staff Lialsons: Rachel Palmer Steve White Call to Otder,12:16 PAL by Mark Beck, Chairperson Guests: Steve Riersun Don Backman Dennis Hanson Steve Sutter CSU Students: Brin L.suren Motion: Approve the 11Trarlee of the 2004 February Regular Meeting ]►Lath requested friendly amendment to the aahmtes changing Youth Clink letter status from "ready to be seer to "was sear By loan, Second Jeff Passed unanimously Wheelchairs in Bike Lopes The City (Risk ascessmom, city attorney, police, transportation, Steve White, and traffic engineering) tooled into the issue. The recommendation from the city is not to allow bikes in bike lanes. The concurs that brought them to this conclusion were as follows: 1) The bike lamas are not designed around the allowance of wheelchairs in them. 2) Use of a wheelchair is currently considered a pedestrian means of transportation under city and state codes. As such, bikes are obliged to follow the rules of the road while pedestrians are not bound to the same mxes, e.g., direction of travel. 3) If such a change were made, it would be unique to the rest of the country. As such, as outside driver entered the city, wheelchair users taking advantage of such a change, would be at an increased risk as these driver would not expect wheelchair in bike lanes. 4) Many of the roads are state roads where the state law overrides the local law. As such, the roads or parts of roads that are state roads in Fort Collins would then have a different set of [riles concerning wheelchairs in bike lanes than the local ordinances would. This would serve to create confusion. The current code allows for reasonable use of the struts for pedestrians in cases where them is no sidewalk, there is no aeons to a sidewalk, or the sidewalk is reasonably impassable, e.g., a stow mound, severe roughness, etc., aocordug to both Mr. Harrison and Mr. Backman. If questioned by an officer, it should suffice to explain to the officer the reason for using the road versus the sidewalk. As put by Mr. llatrison, the police erect looking to make a citation to someone in violation of the oniinanm designed to keep people out of the sheets. Further, Mr. Backman suggested that the city is willing to deal with complaints concaving damaged or unusable sidewalks. You may call Mr. Bachman 224-600 or o-mad him dbachman@fcgov.com. or, call lie Nuisance Hotline 416-2200 Handicapped Parking Handicapped parking spaces ate not to be blocked by piling snow on them according to code. There is a number that can be called to report snow piled up on or other problems related to handicapped spaces. CSU Students Their social work class was charged with starting a gtaasmots advocacy effort that would be sustainable after the and of the project Fiin and Laurea have decided to look at downtown handicapped parking. So far, their finding has been that the number of designated handicapped spaces are greaw than ADA requirements, but the quality of the spaces are not They have requested assistance from the Commission. Other ideas for projects olliered by the Commission for consideration • The Social Security Administration office and the hospital isdt on bus's fixed route • Poudre School District handicapped parking Northern Hotel Parking There is no loading area available for Dial -a -Ride so Dial -a -Ride patrons ate often requited to be loaded and unloaded clear around the other side of the block. By-laws Report From October 2003 Regular Meeting Motion: To adoptAmendnecul10 By: Laura Second: Rose Motion was not carried By-laws Report From January 2004 Regular Meeting Report tabled until April 2004 Regular Meeting Budget Steve White: We currently have a budget but we do not yet have funding. The city has approved $404.5 for the year for the Commission. Practical Housing for All The focus was changed a couple of months back from a focus of a visitable house to one of a livable house. So far, the city council members agree with the change in focus. The subcommittee is looking at ways to do some promotional work and to do some networking. The Fort Collins board of realtcrs will be presenting at an upcoming symposium and the topic they have chosen is on sensible housing with the idea of practical housing in mind. Resource Book The resource book has been started. Art Show The mall has changed its policy from last year due, in pan, to a change in ownership. Now, the mall will charge $Z for each exhibitor. The subcommittee has decided to have the exhibitors pay the mall directly what they ate requiring and still charge their own $5 fee. The current date for this years art show is the 2a° of October. Motion: To adjourn by: forum second: Joan Accepted unanimously, Adjourned 1:34 P.M.