HomeMy WebLinkAboutDisMinutes_2011_04_29Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities
April 29, 2011
A meeting of the Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities was held at 2:00 p.m. on
Thursday, April 29, 2011 in the Brookings City Hall with the following members present: Dav e
Miller, Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, Dona Kornbaum, Matt Simet, Sylvia Lozada and Kathy Heylens.
Absent: Alan Davis, Lonnie Bayer, Jeff Vostad, Kim Lindell and Jessie Kuechenmeister. Shari
Thornes was also present.
Miller called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. The March minutes were approved. Discussion
regarding the City Sprint/Swiftel Communication building was added to the agenda. Item #8 on
the agenda was corrected to state “Downtown Streetscape Plan.”
Schedule future meetings:
o Friday, May 27th @ 2 p.m.
o Friday, June 24th @ 2 p.m.
New Business:
Durable Medical Equipment Drive 2011. The Committee will conduct a durable medical
equipment drive to commemorate and publicize the anniversary of the signing of the ADA (July
26). Drives were done in 2007 and 2009. Collected items were distributed to Easter Seal’s
Recycle for Life (07) and South Dakota Cares (09). Most items collected in this year’s event will
be redistributed locally.
2011 Project:
Team - Miller and Vostad will head up the project.
Dates - Miller will coordinate with Vostad on June dates.
Advertising - Advertising may include the Register, Shopper, Prairie Profile, government
channel, social media, website and radio.
Redistribution –
o Tom Smith in Volga has expressed interest in starting a medical equipment loan
program. Miller will look into that possibility.
o Another idea was to distribute equipment to South Dakota Indian reservations.
Thornes will contact Penny Hauffe at Habitat for Humanity for contac t
information. Russ Stubbles at SDSU was also suggested.
City 2012 Budget Process. Thornes distributed the City’s 2012 Budget process calendar.
Key dates:
June 1st – Receive detailed budget instructions, including narrative/support
requirements. Thornes has heard the narrative requirements, including performance
measurement standards, may change from last year.
June Committee meeting – finalize budget.
July 6th – Staff meets with City Manager & Finance Director on Committee’s budget.
Review of city’s residential snow removal policy on sidewalks . Hartenhoff-Crooks expressed
concern about the city’s snow removal policy. She has noticed many sidewalks, particularly
around campus, don’t get shoveled all winter.
The City current snow removal policy is: If the owner or person in possession or in charge of any
such lot, parcel or plot of ground shall fail or refuse to remove the snow or ice from such sidewalk
within 48 hours of the falling of snow or the forming of ice, the city may, if practicable, remove or
cause to be removed such snow or ice. The city may assess the cost of snow and ice removal
against the fronting or abutting property in accordance with the provisions of this division. (City
Codified Laws Sec. 74-212).
She asked if the Committee could encourage the City to enforce the 48 hour policy. Fines may
be needed to get property owners’ attention.
The Committee agreed and suggested researching policies and procedures of other cities that
are successfully implementing snow removal and then suggest specific ordinance and
enforcement changes to the City Council. Midwestern college cities suggested - Duluth,
Minneapolis, Fargo, and Madison, WI.
Project & Issue Updates:
Downtown Sidewalk Plan. Thornes gave some background on the issue. In 2007, the
Committee made the following parking recommendation for the Brookings Downtown
Streetscape project.
“On-Street Parking. Location and availability of accessible parking is critical. Some locations in
the Central Business District have more demand for accessible spaces and that must be taken
into consideration when locating spaces. Providing ample spaces at a variety of locations allows
for access to all services provided with the downtown for a variety of users. Access for both
drivers and pedestrians must also be taken into consideration. Citizen requests may also
establish a need and be coordinated with the placement. The Team recommends a city adopt a
policy that requires at least one accessible space per developed block face in commercial areas.
With the exception of Third Street, the project area consists of diagonal parking spaces on two-
way street traffic. The Brookings Streetscape Plan has provided for 15 accessible spaces within
the 10 block area comprised of approximately 400 parking spaces. Note that 4% of the identified
project area would require 16 spaces.”
Sixteen spaces were identified in the 2007 Streetscape project, but some were not installed and
some were done incorrectly. The City Engineer is bidding out the remaining corrections this
summer and asked for Committee recommendations.
Based on their April 28th review of the downtown, Miller, Kornbaum and Thornes made the
following draft recommendations
The Committee has reviewed the existing and proposed spaces and makes the following
recommendations:
Accessible Parking Locations:
1. Main Avenue (200 block – West Side)
Access Side: Driver
Location: front of Park & Recreation Building
NOTE: This space will be slight relocated due to the Front Street
Realignment project in 2011.
Recommendations: New Design already approved by Committee in project review.
2. Main Avenue (200 block – West Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: 3rd St-SW intersection, front of funeral home
Truncated Dome: Yes
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Good, no changes required
3. Main Avenue (300 block – East Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Aisle Type (5’ or 8’) 4
Type: Standard
Location: 3rd St–NE intersection, front Skinner’s
Truncated Dome: Yes
Signage: No
NOTE: Never installed. This space was originally identified in the 2007
plan; however, was not included in the construction plans. The
contractor inadvertently installed a curb ramp and truncated
dome.
Recommendations: Designate as accessible space by installing appropriate signage.
4. Main Avenue (300 midblock–East Side)
Access Side: Driver
Aisle Type (5’ or 8’) Aisle not wide/long enough. No curb ramp, requires entering
traffic to access midblock crosswalk - NON-Compliant
Location: Midblock – right side, front Trendz
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Relocate space on other side of crosswalk to provide passenger
deployment. Cut in compliant curb ramp between sidewalk and planting area. Will
require relocating bike rack.
5. Main Avenue (300 block – West Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: 4th St–SW intersection, front Ram & Artworks
Truncated Dome: Yes
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Concerns noted with slope/dip of access aisle. Recommendation
further review and possible correction.
6. 3rd Street (North Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: Main Avenue-NW corner, side Allegra Printing
Truncated Dome: Yes
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: No concerns noted
7. 4th Street (North Side)
Access Side: Driver
Type: standard
Location: Main Avenue-SE intersection, side Audio Connections
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Install truncated dome
8. 4th Street (North Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: Main Ave–NW intersection, side Ray’s
Slope: Non Compliant
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Slope too steep, curb ramp to narrow, install truncated dome, cut
wider curb ramp
9. Main Avenue (400 Block – East Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: 4th St–NE intersection, front Sports Connection
Slope: Concerns Noted
Truncated Dome: Yes
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Correct slope
10. Main Avenue (400 midblock, West Side)
Access Side: Driver
Aisle Type (5’ or 8’) Aisle not wide/long enough. No curb ramp, requires entering
traffic to access midblock crosswalk - NON-Compliant
Location: Midblock Crosswalk– Front Rude’s
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Relocate space across street to north side of cross walk. May
require cutting back planting area to install curb ramp. New location would be passenger
side access aisle. Also recommended location in effort to maintain one midblock space
per block.NOTE – can’t locate on other side of current location due to drain outlet.
11. Main Avenue (400 Block – West Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: Front Nicks’s
NOTE: Never installed. This space was originally identified in the 2007
plan; however, was not included in the construction plans.
Recommendations: Designate as accessible space by installing appropriate signage.
12. 5TH Street (North Side)
Access Side: Driver
Type: standard
Location: Side Post Office
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Install truncated dome
13. 5th Street (North Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: Main Ave NW Intersection; Side, Sioux River Bikes
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Install truncated dome
14. Main Avenue (500 Block – East Side)
Access Side: Passenger
Location: Front, Post Office
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Install truncated dome
15. Main Avenue (500 Midblock – West Side)
Access Side: Driver
Aisle Type (5’ or 8’) Aisle not wide/long enough. No curb ramp, requires entering
traffic to access midblock crosswalk - NON-Compliant
Location: Midblock Crosswalk– Flowers on Main
Truncated Dome: No
Signage: Yes
Recommendations: Relocate space across street in front of VFW. No safe location
found in immediate proximity to current space due to driveways and traffic. New
location would require use of 2 existing spaces. Request Engineer evaluate feasibility of
installing ramp in new location.
16. 4th Street (MID BLOCK) FRONT OF MIX CLEANERS OR SWIFTEL COMMUNICATIONS
NOTE: Never installed. Engineering found it technically infeasible to
install a compliant parking space with curb ramp due to narrow
sidewalk.
Recommendations: Recommend installing new space with driver access at southwest
corner of 4th Street and 5th Avenue. Evaluated other locations, but
found this space most desirable.
Additionally, recommend eliminating non-compliant parking space in front of TV Productions
on 5th Street.
The Committee agreed with the subcommittee’s recommendations. A final report including
details on signage, slope, aisle width and total number of van and driver spaces will be prepared
for action at the May meeting.
City Council Discussion of ADA Policies & Review Process . The City Council reviewed its
current ADA Policies and Review Process at their April 5th Council meeting. No changes were
recommended.
Thornes recommended a close review of the current Review Process memo at a future meeting.
Miller suggested asking Rob Gilkerson at DBTAC for input on the document. Thornes will draft
revisions for consideration.
Accessible Parking Concern Updates.
Cala Center Mall (Qdoba) – Request update from Bayer at next meeting.
University Mall – Miller will check on progress.
Public Education on Van Spaces – Miller asked if there would be a way to encourage those
not driving a van to use the “standard” spaces first and take van spaces last. He has noticed
van spaces are always used first and often are not used by those that need to deploy a lift.
Additional Reports:
Transportation Board Report. Hartenhoff-Crooks reported a subcommittee of Dean
Kattelmann (SDSU), Brenda Schweitzer (BATA), Teresa McKnight (Innovation Campus), Art
Conners (Senior Citizen Center) are reviewing SDSU transportation including accessibility needs.
NDEAM - National Employment Awareness Month Activities. Hartenhoff-Crooks is the
committee’s current representative on the NDEAM organization. She said Simet is already very
active on that group and has agreed to serve as the Committee’s representative.
Simet updated that Kathy Buckley has also been confirmed for the October 5th event. Geri
Jewel will be this year’s luncheon speaker; an actress and comedian best known for her roles on
the facts of life and HBO's deadwood. She has Cerebral palsy and is very inspirational.
He also suggested the Committee begin thinking about local Governor’s Awards nominations.
Special Needs Population Report – No Report
City ADA Coordinator’s Report.
Swiftel Communications Parking – The downtown parking subcommittee noticed that the City
owned Swiftel Communications – Sprint accessible parking was not compliant. The current
space didn’t have a van access aisle and wasn’t properly signed. One van accessible space is
always required at every location. Thornes left message for Jim Adkins, Manager, and will
update at the next meeting.
Streetscape Tables - The downtown parking subcommittee also noticed none of the new
downtown tables were accessible. At least one (4%) of the ten must be accessible; however,
the City had agreed to install two tables. Thornes will update at the next meeting.
Brochure. The Committee used to have a general brochure that explained the Committee’s
purpose and activities of the Committee. Thornes asked if there was interest in updating the
brochure. Agenda item for May.
City/County Building – The Committee reviewed updated plans on the kiosk, council chambers,
county treasurer’s office, patio, accessible parking, and other exterior changes. No changes
were recommended. The specifications were finalized earlier that week and the project bid
opening will be May 17th.
Correspondence/Announcements
Calendar
May 8-11 ADA Symposium – Las Vegas
July 26th City Council Meeting, 6 pm - ABLE Award Presentations
Tentative May Agenda: ABLE Awards, Bob Sheldon Field Restrooms & Concession Plans, Schedule
of City Project Reviews, Summer Arts Festival accessible parking.
With regard to the Arts Festival, the Committee requested representatives of the Summer Arts
Festival Committee be invited to the May 27th meeting to discuss event parking accessibility.
Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
Submitted by Shari Thornes