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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2015-04-08DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETNG PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 12:15 p.m. April 8, 2015 Present: DAC Chair Roberts DAC Members: David McElrath Jody Scriber Erin Sember-Chase Andrew Rappaport, Others Present: Information Management Specialist Myers Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway IURA Community Development Planner Truame Excused: DAC Members Amy Scott, Jennifer Aronson Introductions: Chair Roberts thanked everyone for their patience and understanding while he was on medical leave. Introductions were made. Chair Roberts reported that he would be presenting to the Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting this evening regarding snow and ice removal. He is interested in the ongoing discussion surrounding the issues related to the requirements for removal of snow and ice from sidewalks. Approval of Minutes: Approval of the October 1, 2014 and February 4, 2015 Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes – Resolution By DAC Member Sember-Chase: Seconded by DAC Member Scriber RESOLVED, That the minutes of the October 1, 2014 and February 4, 2015 Disability Advisory Council Meeting be approved as published. Carried Unanimously Discussion Items: Lynn Truame, Community Development Planner for the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA): Presentation about the IURA and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) monies the City of Ithaca receives: Ms. Truame explained that she is interested in obtaining input from the Disability Advisory Council regarding the IURA establishing priorities related to Accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements. The IURA administers HUD funding for the City of Ithaca, and part of the funding needs to be used to improve or correct accessibility related issues or problems. In addition, the IURA also administers federal grant funding; she would like input as to what accessibility needs are in the community as she moves forward in administering the grant funds. The IURA would like to propose an agency accessibility policy that recipients of the funding must follow should they be awarded grant monies. Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services is one of the IURA’s largest recipients of funding; they feel that they do pretty well already in meeting accessibility requirements for their projects. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2015 2 Ms. Truame asked what would be beneficial to making new housing units more accessible, are there areas that are lacking and need to be improved? Chair Roberts responded that examples of the Disability Advisory Council’s experience with use of IURA funding have been the installation of door buttons for City Hall entrance doors, its bathrooms, more recently the IURA put in accessibility features at the Youth Bureau, and the installation of an automatic door at Lifelong. Finger Lakes Independence Center routinely applies for funding for their rental housing assistance program. Ms. Truame stated that each year there is an annual funding round that the IURA participates in to receive assistance for various needs and programs in the community. They have established the needs for this year, and she would like input as to what programs the DAC might recommend for placement on the funding list for next year. What buildings and or organizations might need assistance in providing access and adaptability funding next year. Commissioner Rappaport questioned whether the funding was only for not-for-private entities or could it fund work for public buildings? Ms. Truame responded that work to address accessibility issues on the Commons could be funded by grant monies. She would need additional information and further discussion with the DAC to submit that work for the next round of funding. Chair Roberts suggested that former Historic Planner Chatterton's records should be reviewed regarding the topic of accessibility needs on the Commons. He thought that if it were possible to have some kind of revolving fund loan for businesses on the Commons to use to make changes related to accessibility it would be appreciated. He stated that a similar request was made in the past for funding and it was not approved. Chair Roberts asked whether the funding might be used to purchase vehicles that would accommodate persons with disabilities. He explained that the City of Ithaca Youth Bureau has one vehicle that has a lift but it is pretty outdated and not used very much. There are no other accessible vehicles that he is aware of, in the city fleet that might be used for GIAC/YB trips, etc. In addition, there are residents at Titus Towers that would like to go on trips that the resident council funds, but due to the lack of an accessible vehicle they are unable to participate in the trips. He would ask that it be researched as to whether there might be opportunities to have grant funding to purchase additional accessible vehicles for the City of Ithaca. DAC Member Scriber asked whether or not there is enough accessible housing in the City of Ithaca? Ms. Truame responded that there is not enough accessible housing in the City of Ithaca. It is very hard for wheelchairs users to find housing; she has also heard that when there is discussion between perspective tenants (one in a wheelchair and one not) the housing goes to the non wheelchair user. She stated that most of these situations are due to ignorance on the part of the property owner. As a result, they have scheduled education on accessibility requirements and discrimination laws. She stated that if the DAC could provide input on needs to make housing accessible as well as adaptable it would be much appreciated. Chair Roberts encouraged her to review examples of universal design rules; the University of Buffalo has a very good website with this information. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2015 3 Discussion followed on the floor regarding Ithaca Neighborhood Housing’s current and major project for 2015 at 210 Hancock Street. There will be apartments and townhouses, she is not sure of what their plans are for making the units adaptable and accessible. DAC members would like to see all the townhouses and rental units be accessible and adaptable or built in such a way that they could easily be made adaptable in the future. DAC Member Rappaport reported that any new housing has to be accessible, and adaptable as well. Chair Roberts stated that Tompkins County’s Comprehensive Plan has language to the effect that there is a need to retrofit some of the older housing stock to make them accessible or adaptable. He suggested that Ms. Truame discuss with the County how they plan to address those needs so that perhaps the IURA could look for funding for the same type of retrofitting the City of Ithaca’s older housing stock. In addition, there will be a need for increased accessible and adaptable housing for seniors. Chair Roberts reported that there is a lot of beautiful accessible design; he thinks that developers think that to make something accessible it will not be attractive, but that is not true, including the inside plan. Not only do you need to get in to the house, you need to access all the rooms within the house. It was reported that if people are retiring and want to live downtown; the way that existing housing is set up, the bottom floor is most desirable for accessibility but more expensive. In addition, as some accessible housing gets cheaper, it also becomes very unattractive. It would be better to have more first floor studios that are accessible and attractive. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the high rent for new housing that may be accessible because developers say that to recover costs they need to target high income tenants. The IURA is trying to make new housing attractive and affordable, but unfortunately even some subsidized housing is not affordable Chair Roberts reported that the housing market for residents with mental health and disabilities in the City of Ithaca needs to improve. He stated that downstate they are trying to raise subsidies for housing that the New York State Office of Mental Health can give to those with disabilities, but it is small by the time the deposit, and first/last month is rent paid. It might be good to talk with Tompkins County about their mental health and disabilities office to see whether the subsidizing that comes to the City of Ithaca could be increased to do whatever can be done to meet the housing needs for everyone. INHS, if they didn't have HUD funding, wouldn't be able to renovate and make housing accessible. There really is a need to challenge developers to meet this demand. Unfortunately, due to the lack of affordable and accessible housing most people can't live in the City of Ithaca. DAC Member Scriber reported that homes that the Franszicka Racker Center owns and operate are accessible. However, in future there will be a big push to move those residents into housing in the community; so there is a need to make sure there is enough accessible housing for them. Chair Roberts suggested that Ms. Truame coordinate with DAC Member Scriber to visit some of those group homes to see how they look to meet accessible needs so she can use that information going forward in requesting funding. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2015 4 Ms. Truame further reported that INHS will not include accessible needs in new development, but if there is a tenant that needs one, they tear out the existing kitchen, bathroom, etc. and replace them with accessible ones. Maybe the IURA should not grant funding if that is what INHS does. In addition, she would like to bring Scott Reynolds from INHS to a DAC meeting so that the DAC can provide input as to what accessible housing needs are in the community. A brief discussion followed on the floor regarding recently designated historic properties downtown and providing for accessibility needs in any renovation/restoration of them. Sidewalk Program Update/Discussion: Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway reported that he would be at the April 13, 2015 Board of Public Works meeting to provide a presentation on the 2015 sidewalk work plan. He invited DAC members to the meeting to provide input to the Board. Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway Eric reported that there is fair amount of sidewalk work for this year and hopes, weather wise, everything will go well and they can complete all of it. He stated that the biggest barrier for everyone is the heaves and raised sections of sidewalks because of their tripping hazards. He asked DAC members what they felt were the worst sidewalks were in the City. DAC Member Rappaport responded that the answers to Mr. Hathaway’s question will be based upon where each DAC member travels, so he feels that his response would be based upon the sidewalks that bother him. He questioned whether Mr. Hathaway would have an intern assisting in the sidewalk program this summer that might be able to traverse all the sidewalks in the City to determine the worst sidewalks. If so, that might be better than he telling Mr. Hathaway what would be areas that are bad for him. Mr. Hathaway reported that he has been working over the winter with the staff of the City’s GIS department to develop a map that can be populated to see exactly where and what type of barriers there are, then he'll know where to focus the sidewalk work. He is also finding a way to do work around the tree damaged sidewalk, by doing a lot of research and working with the City Forester. In addition, he has been researching right- of-ways so that sidewalk work can be done wherever it is needed. It was also noted that sidewalk heaving is a problem for most people, be they disabled or not, as well as sidewalks that slope which can become very slippery and dangerous at times. Mr. Hathaway explained that sloped sidewalks are where the sidewalk tips towards the curb so it’s on an angle, not level, and dangerous so a body has to compensate for it -- which is hard. The difficulty to repair those sloped sidewalks is at the curb ramps where they meet the slope; in addition, sometimes the slope is caused by the road - which he can't change. He further reported that staff will review the information for each major kind of barrier reported for sidewalks, note the worst condition going block by block. Then they can report sidewalks that have a particular barrier, and try to work on the really bad areas of sidewalk to repair them based upon the type of barrier. If there are other problems in the block where the barriers are, they will take care of them as well. That is the most economical way to do it since part of the cost of the sidewalk projects is the mobilization of the sidewalk crew. It makes sense to make all the repairs in one area at once rather than to going back and forth. In addition, how well a sidewalk is traveled plays into how priorities are established. They will be repairing sidewalks first in places of public accommodation such as schools, government buildings, and bus stops. He further reported that he needs to have the 2016 sidewalk work plan in place by the end of June, so obtaining input from the DAC right now is really important. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes April 8, 2015 5 DAC Members suggested that sidewalks near handicapped parking spaces be reviewed to make sure they are in good repair. They also noted that slate sidewalks become very slippery when they are wet, and questioned whether they could they be replaced with concrete at some point. Mr. Hathaway responded that he has not found anything in his research where it says that slate sidewalks are more slippery than others. He proposed to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) that the slate sidewalks be replaced by concrete, they were not supportive, but they also did not say no. He reminded them of accessibility/safety issues, and that in the future if the slate sidewalk needs to be dug out for whatever work, it might be time to replace it with concrete. The ILPC will review other potential ways to repair slate sidewalk; there is a 20% difference in the cost of slate versus concrete. Chair Roberts suggested that Mr. Hathaway contact the City of San Francisco because they have probably run into the same thing with slate sidewalks to find out what they did; or, if there is a common product that could be used to replace slate sidewalk. Mr. Hathaway reported that they do concrete cutting for some sidewalks to make them even (the sidewalk is raised up and filled underneath); they may use that method in some cases until the sidewalk can be put on the work plan for repair/replacement. It is a good temporary fix to the sidewalk to make it even and safer in the meantime. Mr. Hathaway reported that he would be doing public outreach in each of the 5 sidewalk districts; and is trying to have at least 1 meeting in each district regarding sidewalk repair work needed in each district. He will share dates for those meetngs with the DAC when he has them. In addition, he would be interested in working with the DAC, and perhaps the Finger Lakes Independence Center to create a survey related to ADA issues and sidewalks for the community to provide input, since a lot of people do not like to attend meetings. DAC Member Sember-Chase suggested that survey questions be phrased in a way that will locate specific problem areas. In addition, she suggested advertising the public meetings in the five sidewalk districts using the word “Accessibility” as a way to help increase public turn out for the meetings. Mr. Hathaway reported that Melissa Anderson, Transportation Engineer from New York State for Access in the Public Right-of-Way, will be coming to Ithaca in the next week. She will take a tour with him to look at the condition of sidewalks throughout the City. She is really great in asking questions and making recommendations for improvement, correction and future plans for sidewalk work. Adjournment: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1:32 p.m. _______________________________ ____________________________ Sarah L. Myers, Larry Roberts, Information Mgt. Specialist Chair, DAC