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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2015-09-02 Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes September 2, 2015 Present: Chair Roberts DAC Members: Rappaport Brock Scriber Dragovich Sember-Chase Others Present: Information Mgt. Specialist – Myers Director of Parking – Nagy Sidewalk Program Manager - Hathaway Excused: DAC Members Anderson and Gizewski Introductions: Chair Roberts and everyone made introductions to one another. Approval of Minutes: Approval of the August 5, 2015 Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes - Resolution By DAC Member McElrath: Seconded by DAC Member Rappaport RESOLVED, That the minutes of the August 5, 2015 Disability Advisory Council meetings be approved as published. Carried Unanimously Updates: Chair Roberts reported that Director of Planning, Building, Zoning and Economic Development Cornish is collecting names for the committee which will be reviewing the Commons new playground. He stated that DAC Member Rappaport has volunteered to serve on the committee on behalf of the Disability Advisory Council. At this point, no meeting has been set up yet. There has been a lot of strong support from Common Council to make changes and move ahead with them. Director of Planning, Building, Zoning and Economic Development Cornish has talked with the designers of the playground and they want to be part of discussions as well. Chair Roberts stated that currently, there is a bus service that provides a direct trip from Ithaca to New York City; including one that provides a direct route campus to campus from Cornell University. The buses are nice and there is one that is also accessible; however DAC Member Sember-Chase has raised some concerns about its accessibility. DAC Member Sember-Chase reported that she had asked if the new bus is going to be accessible and emailed Kevin Sutherland, Chief of Staff for the City of Ithaca, to ask and has not heard back yet. The Cornell campus-to-campus bus is the bus is not the most accessible because one has to make sure to reserve that bus in advance and sometimes even when doing so, they send the wrong bus: That is why it is so important to her that the new Bullet bus is accessible from the start. it is not the best service as you have to make a reservation for the accessible bus, and even then, sometimes the appropriate bus is not sent. Both she and Chair Roberts have reached out through e-mail to Kevin Sutherland, Chief of Staff for the City of Ithaca, regarding these concerns and are waiting to hear back from him. Hopefully, that will be before he leaves the City of Ithaca on September 21, 2015, as he has taken a job elsewhere. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes September 2, 2015 2 Discussion Regarding the New Park and Pay Stations and Accessible Parking Spaces with Director of Parking Nagy Director of Parking Nagy joined the Council for discussion of these items. Chair Roberts stated that Director of Parking Nagy attended the DAC’s August meeting to discuss accessibility concerns and the new pay stations. The pay stations are accessible, and the concern has been more about the distance from the accessible parking space to the pay stations. Common Council Liaison Brock stated that she would also like to talk about accessibility in the Seneca Street parking garage, and the need to install hand rails on stairways between levels. Director of Parking Nagy responded that this item is on his "to do" list and should be completed soon – before the end of the year. He also stated that another concern had been raised by the DAC regarding whether the stairs could be replaced with a ramp. He did investigate that with the City’s Engineer who explained that due to the required slope for a ramp in that area, it just would not be possible. Chair Roberts stated that he would like to bring to the attention of the City a situation he has encountered on the new Commons. He appreciates all the work that has been done and for the smoother surface; however, he has noticed that where the gas lines are located, there are little insets that sit above the pavers which create a tripping hazard. These insets are located throughout the Commons and are about a 1 to 1 ½ inches. Director of Parking Nagy responded that he would add that to the list of items that Commons Project Manager, Michael Kuo, will need to address before his contract with the City of Ithaca for the construction of the Commons is closed out at the end of September. Common Council Liaison Brock stated that she would strongly encourage city staff to make sure that items such as these are taken care of and signed off on by Mr. Kuo prior to closing that contract. Chair Roberts also noted that he has heard that some people with vision issues have encountered problems related to the changing of the grade on the Commons which leads up to the Bernie Milton Pavilion in Bank Alley. He stated that there needs to better visual indication of the slope to alert pedestrians accordingly so they do not trip and get injured. DAC Member Rappaport explained that he has noticed that inside buildings, there is a requirement for contrasting colors going from the floor to the stairway; this is not the case on the Commons in the area leading up the pavilion. He has witnessed some people stumbling there as well; he is not sure if this concern is on the list for Project Manager Kuo to address before his contract is closed; or whether it can be changed at this point. It is a concern that does need to be addressed by the City of Ithaca. DAC Member Rappaport reported that he is happy that the parking meters have been replaced at accessible parking spots. However, he noted that when they were missing, the allowed area for a parking space was not clearly delineated and there was nothing to keep other cars from encroaching upon more than one parking spot. That meant, in some cases, there wasn’t room in the accessible space for a car to park. DAC Member Rappaport requested that both the front and back of the parking space be clearly delineated; and that accessible signage be in place there to indicate that payment could be made either at the meter or pay station, whichever would be more convenient. Director of Parking Nagy stated that he has requested that DPW crews place a second meter head on a pole on North Aurora Street. Until then, he will look for a "free" sign to place on the post temporarily until the meter head can be replaced. That may resolve some of the issues being encountered now on the street. He also reported that the parking brochures have been updated already as a result of comments and suggestions made at the last DAC meeting. He stated that both he and Transportation Engineer Logue would like to attend a future DAC meeting to obtain input as to where additional accessible parking spaces should be located Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes September 2, 2015 3 around the city. He would like to have the information about where additional accessible parking spaces should be located so that they can be marked at the same time the loading zones are being marked around the City. He would like to have the information by the end of fall, if not sooner. Common Council Liaison Brock requested that the parking brochure/map be updated to show all the public parking lots. For example, the parking lot next to Family Medicine, as well as by City Hall. Director of Parking Nagy responded that the City’s GIS department could update the maps in any way that might be needed for the brochures. Chair Roberts noted that the DAC would strongly encourage the City to leave the meter heads where the accessible parking spaces are located. That would give the public the option to pay at the meter or the pay station. He also noted that at the last DAC meeting Ms. Pryor distributed information about what other cities do to provide accessible parking spaces and how the public pays to use them. That is something that should be explored further to see if there is something that might work here in the City of Ithaca. Unless, there is some barrier that prevents people from paying the meter. New York State has a special waiver for those individuals who physically cannot pay the meter which requires their physician to complete a special application to submit to the clerk where the individual lives to issue. There is no fee for the waiver, and it is valid for one calendar year. DAC Member Rappaport stated that the list that Ms. Pryor brought in was great, and suggested that the DAC have a separate discussion about possible recommendations the City of Ithaca might be able to implement for accessible parking spaces. He stated that the work done by Parking Director Nagy is a good stop gap measure in the meantime. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the height of the pay stations, and whether they might be lowered; complaints have been received from people in wheelchairs who can't reach them to make payment. Director of Parking Nagy responded that the pay stations can be lowered, for about $500 a machine. He stated that when the second batch of pay stations are ordered he can order the shorter ones. Another suggestion was to see whether it might be possible, similar as to when you're at an ATM machine, to slant a screen to aid in seeing it better. It was also noted that the height of the pay station could also be a problem for really tall people as well. Director of Parking Nagy explained that there is no money left in the budget for this year that could be used to lower the current pay stations. It could be done with next year's budget when he places the order for the next batch of pay stations that would include the shorter pay stations. He is also not sure what the budget will be for 2016, and is hoping to order 23 new pay stations. He planned, with the new pay stations, to first fill in locations that need double stations; then to fill in the holes around the city with them. He also asked that if there are specific pay stations that people are having trouble seeing to let him know because the background color can be changed; that might be helpful to make it easier to see the screen for some people. If the glare for someone in a wheelchair makes it difficult for them to use the pay station, it would be interesting to see if it makes a difference if the background color was changed. Chair Roberts stated it sounds like the DAC is recommending that when the new pay stations are ordered next year the shorter ones should be ordered. In addition, the City should keep track of the complaints regarding the height of the current pay stations to see if they justify lowering them sooner. DAC Members expressed their support for that recommendation. Further discussion followed on the floor regarding the three different “zones” around the City where the rate for parking varies. Director of Parking Nagy stated that once the fee is paid in a particular zone, and time is not used up, the person could also park anywhere else in the city for the remaining paid time. He uses the various zones around the City as a means to determine where revenue is being generated. He noted that if the City wanted to get really specific the parking could be zoned street by street. Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes September 2, 2015 4 DAC Member Rappaport noted that the accessible parking spaces in the Seneca Street parking garage, where he parks, are not accessible right now. He said that the construction contractor’s job trailer and the foreman are using them; and there is also dumpster placed there. Where there is a temporary accessible parking space, it has no access aisle. He assumes there is a required number of accessible parking spaces required in the garage, for during the construction, but if the spaces don't have access aisles they won't work. In addition, he frequently sees City vehicles in the accessible parking spaces. Director of Parking Nagy responded that the contractor parking was set up through Engineer's Office, much against his recommendation. The contractors are supposed to park in contractor's spot; not the general public spots. He's addressed it with the appropriate staff, but it is still being allowed; fortunately, the project should be completed by September 11th. The members of the DAC expressed their thanks to Director of Parking Nagy for his time today and assistance in helping to address their concerns. Update from Sidewalk Program Manager - Hathaway Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway reported that he had a couple things to check in on with the DAC right now. One is that right now crews are in the middle of construction of ramps and sidewalks. If there is interest, at end of construction season and before it gets too cold, would members of the DAC like to take a tour with him around the City to inspect the work? He is very interested in the DAC’s input as to whether the work that has been completed thus far meets their expectations. He can set up a time and take them to see a few typical sidewalks, and then curb ramp areas where there is a bigger slope or landing area. He noted that it is one thing to construct sidewalks that meet the standard requirements, but it is another thing as to whether they are useful and meet the needs of everyone who use them. In addition, if anyone has seen anything this year that sticks out as good, bad, or indifferent including concrete cutting, that their input would be very valuable to him. He further explained that for next years’ sidewalk construction plan, they conducted public outreach in each of the five Sidewalk Improvement Districts (SID's). They were very successful with a lot of people attending them. There was also one session that focused entirely on accessibility issues. He asked that if members of the DAC had ideas on what other ways the City could get feedback about sidewalks and the City’s sidewalk program, he would appreciate their ideas and thoughts. Common Council Liaison Brock suggested that information on upcoming information sessions be posted at local schools, and bus stops. Chair Roberts noted that it is fairly inexpensive to have signs with information that could be placed on TCAT buses (i.e. if anyone has problems with sidewalks - call _____). Other suggestions included an area “Ithaca's Mom's” group, Senior Centers, Office for the Aging, Ithaca Area Congregations, and the Human Services Coalition. Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway noted that he is also working with the City’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council for input and suggestions. Suggestions for work thus far have included: Chestnut/Elm Streets where sidewalks should be regraded, and the sidewalk in front of City Hall. He further explained that, for now, the contractor will come in and level the sidewalk in front of City Hall. That sidewalk is complicated related to underground vaults, and has been the reason why it has not been repaired sooner. It will require some engineering recommendations for a permanent repair. He stated that the long-term strategy, which will shape how sidewalk projects are chosen and where the program should go next will always require input from the DAC, which he values very much. He explained that he has developed criteria for choosing locations for sidewalk work which will assist staff in determining their importance, as well as a scoring system through the assistance of the City’s GIS staff. The criteria includes: what is the sidewalk near, is the area located in an area with a higher population density, does the sidewalk serve a government office/facility/school, public transportation spots (has worked with TCAT), places of public accommodation (businesses) and locations where people have requested sidewalks. Then, are there vertical displacements, less than 4' in width, is the surface worn away (loose gravel) or is there a cross slope. Further, is there a block that has all these problems and does it rank high using the established criteria? This will be one of the basis for developing the next sidewalk work plan, and choosing the locations for the work. In the future, he would like to use a scoring method and wherever a Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes September 2, 2015 5 sidewalk falls in the scoring determines its’ priority. He thinks it's the most effective way to increase accessibility every year around the City for everyone. Common Council Liaison Brock suggested some other criteria to use would be sidewalks near medical facilities, day care facilities, and businesses that cater to the elderly. In her opinion, these should rate above businesses. Chair Roberts stated that sidewalks in neighborhoods, especially north of Court Street and the numbered streets are in terrible shape in terms of the condition. These sidewalks wouldn't necessarily rise to a priority level through the proposed criteria to get on a priority work list. He worries about when those places will be taken care of because they have not seen work since the sidewalks were initially installed. There are also neighborhoods where there are no sidewalks at all that should fit into some criteria for scoring. Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway responded that the City has a lot of room to re-organize the criteria that determines priority. If it is decided that the condition of the sidewalk should be a driving force then that can be done through the City’s GIS Department. He also noted that he has a separate scoring system for those areas that don't have sidewalks. A missing sidewalk on a dead-end street should not be a priority over other areas with no sidewalks. He reported that the City completed about one to two miles of sidewalk work this year. DAC Member Scriber stated that she has another question, based on what Chair Roberts shared. When the City looks at an area, are there areas where people, for the most part, are walking and so those sidewalks would be more important than those that people are more likely to drive. Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway responded that he has been working with Tompkins County to conduct a pedestrian count to get an idea of where high pedestrian areas are to assist in developing the sidewalk priority list. It is useful information that would need to be balanced with other criteria. DAC Members expressed their thanks to Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway for his time and information. Discussion of Disability Advisory Council's Goals, Objectives, and Continuity: Chair Roberts asked DAC members that if there are goals/objectives that they want to add to current list to let him know. He will edit the current list and asked that everyone come to the next meeting prepared to focus on the discussion of the DAC’s goals and objectives. It is important to talk about them in an organized way, and about how the DAC wants to proceed in the future. He also noted that the DAC is doing well with communicating with Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway and Director of Parking Nagy so he is pleased with that ongoing work and communication with them. DAC Member Rappaport stated the he has a high comfort level so that even if the DAC does not meet with regularly with Sidewalk Program Manager Hathaway to talk about sidewalk concerns that he has confidence in his method of setting up criteria and prioritizing the work. Adjournment: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1:40 pm. _____________________________________ _________________________________ Sarah L. Myers, Larry Roberts, Chair Information Management Specialist