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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2011-07-06DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 12:15 p.m. July 6, 2011 PRESENT: DAC Vice Chair - Gizewski DAC Members: David McElrath Jason Anderson Allen Walters Andrew Rappaport Alderperson Rooker Information Management Specialist — Myers Historic Planner and Liaison to DAC - Chatterton EXCUSED: DAC Chair — Roberts Jocelyn Scriber George Eberhardt Erin Sember -Chase Otis Jackson Courtney Glenn Ed Swayze, Director, 2 -1 -1, Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County APPROVAL OF MINUTES: By DAC Member Walters: Seconded by DAC Member Anderson RESOLVED, That the minutes of the June 1, 2011 Disability Advisory Council meeting be approved as published. Ayes (5) Anderson, Walters, Rappaport, Rooker, Gizewski Nays (0) Abstentions (1) McElrath Carried Conversation with Vicki Taylor, Associate Director, Downtown Ithaca Alliance Regarding the Downtown Accessibility Map and Seek Input from Disability Advisory Council Ms. Taylor distributed information to the Council on how downtown can be made more accessible. She said the accessibility map is helpful to some, but is not always useful to people in explaining how to navigate through the downtown area. She stated that the Downtown Ithaca Alliance website is being redesigned so that it includes the following information — in an effort to make all of downtown accessible to members of the general public: Accessibility Information: • Stairs & Elevators • Wheelchair Accessibility • Aisle and door widths • Accessible restrooms • Doors and handles • Other pertinent information • Information will be available on Google Places and on the Downtown Ithaca • Website • Workshop for businesses She explained that when property owners downtown are made aware of the above information being available to the public, it might encourage them to make changes to their properties in order to increase accessibility both inside and outside, and promote their business. She further explained that it is important for members of the DAC to provide feedback to her on what information somebody would need to know to access a particular business. July 6, 2011 Accessible Website & Information (That make things ADA Compliant): • Redesigning our website at www.downtownithaca.com Instructions for making the website more accessible • Customizing browsers and systems • Text to speech • Mobile Applications • Volume and Font Size Adjustments • Sign Language Video Commons Redesign: • Repair hazards and increase accessibility in outdoor areas • Opportunity for merchants to improve accessibility where possible • Property owners would be responsible for construction costs • For this to be effective need incentive grant funding ( "Main Street Grant Program" provides funds for facade improvements, signage, and windows, etc.) DAC Member Rappaport questioned whether grant money could be used to assist in making properties more accessible. Ms. Taylor respond no, but noted that the grant program is being broadened and there are other grants available to use for improvements in accessibility, and explained that the Commons re- design project will include improvements in accessibility. Ms. Taylor noted that there are a lot of businesses on The Commons where there is a step up to enter the business and some businesses don't have accessible bathrooms. Vice Chair Gizewski questioned whether or not with the Commons Redesign project if the Commons could be raised up to make all entrances level, or include ramps into businesses. Ms. Taylor responded that she would look into whether those are viable options for consideration as the plans for the redesign of the Commons are developed. DAC Member Rappaport stated that any new construction has to be ADA compliant, and that ramps need to meet strict ADA guidelines. Ms. Taylor stated that the Downtown Ithaca Alliance would re -apply next year for main street grant monies since they were unable to obtain a grant for this year. They will also try to coordinate all the grant work in the future with the Commons redesign project. Vice Chair Gizewski asked whether or not it would be helpful for the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to have a letter of support from the Disability Advisory Council for future grant applications. Ms. Taylor responded that it would be very helpful if the Disability Advisory Council wanted to provide a letter of support for their grant application. Accessibility and Events: • Assessing events for accessibility • Providing information to event planners about accessibility • Transportation options • American Sign Language interpreters She stated that accommodations are already being put into place to make festivals more accessible by spreading them out to decrease bottlenecks and congestion that hampers mobility and transportation. She noted that she also provides assistance to other agencies that host festivals to assist in increasing accessible means, and increase use of American Sign Language interpretation services. She stated that she has been involved for years with the Clearwater Revival Festival and feels it would be a great model to try to copy for local festivals because of their great accessibility plan. Historic Planner and DAC Liaison Chatterton questioned whether the Downtown Ithaca Alliance would use the old accessibility map and update it with this new information. Ms. Taylor responded that yes, they are working to update the current map that has July 6, 2011 been in the works for many years. Historic Planner and DAC Liaison Chatterton further noted that Ms. Taylor's presentation matches the initial goals that were set by John Ives when the project to complete an accessibility map was started. She stated that one does not need to be an expert to look at requirements for ADA — as one can count steps, measure doorways, aisles, and talk with business owners about what is readily achievable. She further stated that Vice Chair Gizewski's point of raising up the Commons to current step entries so that they are all level and accessible is a good one that should be considered as the plans for the redesign of the Commons are made. She asked Ms. Taylor what format the Downtown Ithaca Alliance's website would take. Ms. Taylor responded that every downtown business has a page on their website, and currently there are 200 businesses listed with 40 of them being in the business improvement district. Their goal is to have each business page contain accessibility information, and towards that goal the DIA has hired a new web designer for the oversight and development of the webpage's content. Vice Chair Gizewski suggested that the webpage show the economic benefit to businesses when accessibility improvements are made as an incentive to other businesses to make them as well. He suggested recognizing those businesses in the newspaper as well. Ms. Taylor noted that the Downtown Ithaca Alliance plans to launch their new website by the Spring of 2012. Vice Chair Gizewski asked how input could be provided to the DIA on this project. Ms. Taylor responded that people can e -mail her suggestions and their comments at vickit downtownithaca.com The DAC expressed their thanks and appreciation to Ms. Taylor for the presentation and the work being done by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to improve accessibility. They invited her to return to a future meeting to update the DAC on how things are progressing. Vice Chair Gizewski offered to assist the DIA in checking out how accessible businesses are for wheelchairs or segways. Ms. Taylor reported that she is in the process of setting up a workshop for downtown businesses about why ADA changes should be made. Vice Chair Gizewski offered to volunteer his assistance in putting this workshop together; and it was suggested that DAC Member Erin Sember -Chase be contacted for assistance as well. Conversation with Leslie Chatterton, Planning and Development Department, Staff Liaison to the Disability Advisory Council: Ms. Chatterton is retiring from the City of Ithaca next week. She has been involved with the DAC since its creation. She will share with us some thoughts she has about important issues of which we should be mindful. Ms. Chatterton noted the following projects that will require ongoing work by the DAC: 1. The accessibility map — Ms. Taylor from the DIA just addressed how the map will be done, which is in a different way than originally planned, but will meet the public's needs better. She noted that it is very important for the DAC to stay involved with Ms. Taylor and the DIA with this project and the workshop she is preparing for businesses regarding ADA requirements. 2. In 1995 the City of Ithaca conducted a self - evaluation on all the city's buildings and programs to make sure there were no barriers to accessibility or inability to participate in programs offered by the city. In 1995 a survey was sent to every department head regarding that department's programs /building /department. She stated that public buildings need to meet a higher level of accommodation unless it would cause undue financial burdens. The results of the survey were turned into a report with each building listed with its deficiencies — most were corrected, but there was no re- check. Now, it's a chance to catch up on where we are and for departments to think Q July 6, 2011 about new programs or buildings that might not have been included in the original survey. She explained that the City is required to do this to receive State and Federal funds and that the city can be inspected anytime and will want to have up -to -date surveys and information available. She further stated that the updated survey is being prepared and will be distributed to department heads in the very near future, along with the old survey to use as a comparison. The survey will come from the Mayor and will have a certain date that it must be completed and returned to the Mayor. She feels that it will be important for departments to be reminded constantly to complete the survey in a timely manner. Vice Chair Gizewski asked whether the DAC should make a recommendation that these surveys be completed by every city department every five years. Ms. Chatterton responded that the more often the surveys are completed the easier they will be to do. She would encourage the DAC to discuss this further regarding what type of schedule the City should follow for completion of these required surveys. Discussion followed on the floor regarding who would be responsible for keeping track of the surveys, making sure they are completed in a timely manner and on a regular schedule. It was also suggested that, in the future, an electronic survey be developed that would include more than just yes or no answers and have space for explanations. Ms. Chatterton reported that her replacement is being hired for only 20 hours per week and will focus only on historical work. She suggested that since the Clerk's office staff's the DAC and provides the minutes from their meetings that perhaps that could be a link for this task. She feels that whoever is chosen should be a direct liaison to the DAC, so that they can provide reports /updates to the DAC, and work with the DAC to make recommendations to Common Council on a regular basis. Ms Chatterton noted that DAC Chair Roberts makes sure to keep track of all city meetings /agendas and is very involved in that way. He can pay attention that way to see where the DAC could have valuable input or to make sure people with disabilities are considered in decisions. Ms. Chatterton stated that she spoke with Chair Roberts regarding the City's Human Rights code which was re- written in 2003 to update anti - discrimination language, and disability terms with current language /terms but that one section got missed. It's the section regarding the City's responsibility regarding access (i.e. public notice, grievance procedures) are all written in the old language. She stated that section of Chapter 215 in the City code should be updated and that when it is done it should be reviewed by City Clerk Holcomb. Vice Chair Gizewski requested that the DAC be allowed to review the proposed updated draft language before it goes onto Common Council for approval. Ms. Chatterton further stated that she is still crafting a letter to Mark Kielman, owner of Clinton Hall, regarding recommendations that the DAC had about improvements in accessibility. Mr. Kielman is very open to working with the DAC to address long and short term needs. She will copy Chair Roberts on the letter as she knows how important this building is to him regarding making it as accessible as possible for people. Vice Chair Gizewski thanked Ms. Chatterton for her many years of service to the City and to the Disability Advisory Council. Conversation with Julie Conley Holcomb, City Clerk About Guide Dogs and Service Animals in the City City Clerk Holcomb reported that Chair Roberts asked her to talk about guide and service animals because the City received a request to allow "Service Puppies in Training" to be on The Commons, and the Commons rules do not allow dogs on The Commons. She stated that when the City received this request for the training opportunity of the puppies on the Commons that the City said no permit was required but that the puppies should be identified as "in training" in some way. She further stated that Chair Roberts opinion from Finger Lakes Independence Center was that they would just as soon not see puppies in training on the Commons. Cl July 6, 2011 City Clerk Holcomb explained that New York State Agriculture and Markets gave the responsibility of licensing dogs to local municipalities as of January 1, 2011. She stated that Ag & Markets law has many different descriptions for types of service dogs. The City Clerk's office licenses service dogs for a $5.00 fee and issues a special separate license tag that identifies the dog as a service dog, in addition to the regular dog license tag. She noted that Chair Roberts has objected to the City for charging for service dog licenses, but noted that the City is able to do that because New York State Ag. & Market Law allows clerk's to charge if they choose to. She explained that the main reason the City Clerk's office has begun to charge a fee for service dogs is because a lot of people were saying that their dogs were service dogs and getting the license for free, without actual proof of what service the dog provides so they could bring them on the Commons. She explained that dogs are not allowed without a permit (permits are only issued to those people who live and work on the Commons and it allows them to walk back and forth through the shortest distance on the Commons only to where they live or work). She further noted that the Clerk's office has been experiencing more problems lately with dogs on The Commons and the public saying that they are "service" dogs so that they have to be allowed to remain on The Commons. The only way that Ithaca Police Department Officers can ask those dog owners to remove the dogs from the Commons is if they are unleashed, have no collars, or become aggressive towards others — or, if the owner does not properly clean up after them. Recently, the Commons Police Officer encountered a dog owner who said the dog was a service dog who could sense when the owner was about to have a seizure and could respond appropriately, however, the next day the dog was not with the owner and it was clear that it was not a service dog so they asked the owner to remove the dog from the Commons. She further stated that the City needs to be able to take a more formal stance on how to deal with dogs on The Commons. Discussion followed on the floor regarding licensing of service dogs, whether or not there should be a fee for a service dog license, as well as how the respond to the request for the puppies in training on The Commons. Further discussion followed on the floor regarding Ag & Market Law regarding service dogs and Civil Service laws regarding service dogs and what municipalities can and cannot require in regards to them. City Clerk Holcomb will submit a request to the New York State Attorney General to provide their opinion on how the City of Ithaca should be handling service dogs in general and specifically with regards to their being allowed on The Commons. Greg Gizewski, Vice Chair will update the DAC on the PSA Project Discussed Last Month (which we'll probably launch in late fall or beginning of 2012) Vice Chair Gizewski reported that he has been out of town and not able to work on the PSA's. He requested that if anyone has input or information they would like included in the PSA's to be in touch with him. He will provide an update, hopefully, at the August 3, 2011 DAC meeting. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Sarah L. Myers Larry Roberts Information Management Specialist Chair, DAC `1