HomeMy WebLinkAboutDisMinutes_2011_05_27Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities
May 27, 2011
A meeting of the Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities was held at 2:00 p.m. on
Thursday, May 27, 2011 in the Brookings City Hall with the following members present: Dave Miller, Alan
Davis, Jeff Vostad, Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, Dona Kornbaum, Matt Simet and Sylvia Lozada. Absent:
Kathy Heylens, Lonnie Bayer and Jessie Kuechenmeister. Shari Thornes was also present.
Miller called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. The April minutes were approved.
Schedule future meetings: - June 24th @ 1:00 pm (early start)
New Business:
Brookings Summer Arts Festival. Brookings Summer Arts Festival Committee representatives Dave and Julie
Hubner and Karen Vanderwal were present to discuss accessibility plans for this year’s festival. Mr. Huber
said accessible parking is provided on First Street, east side of the park, and in the west grass lot.
Committee members were not aware of the west parking option and suggested signage to direct Brookings
residents and out-of-town festival goers.
The Committee stressed the importance and requirement of access aisles for van parking spaces.
Dave Miller noted a problem with the parking attendant at last year’s event and suggested additional
training for the volunteers.
Bob Shelden Field Restrooms & Concession Plans. Allyn Frerichs, Park and Recreation Director, and Rick
Salonen, Banner Associates, reviewed proposed project plans. Current restrooms are not compliant. This
project is scheduled for this summer.
Comments:
Parking space access aisles don’t currently connect to the accessible path of travel. Frerichs said this
could be corrected in a future parking lot reconstruction.
Toilets – make sure lever is on the transfer side. Auto flush style would also work.
Stall hardware needs to be compliant, noting several recent projects with non-compliant hardware.
The entire concession counter will be 34 inches in height.
Nature Park. Frerichs updated the Committee on the Brookings Nature Park project. The project has been
accelerated due to private donations and the final completion date will now be 2013.
Committee Vacancy. Unfortunately Kim Lindell has resigned due to out-of-town home and work relocations.
Her committee position is currently being advertised. Members were encouraged to invite individuals to
apply. Thornes will email the city’s application for distribution.
ABLE Awards. The Committee will make its final selection on the ABLE awards in June. Suggestions now
include the HyVee Gas Station for their new call button and pumping assistance program and the Children’s
Museum of South Dakota.
Committee Brochure. Members reviewed an out-of-date Committee brochure. Interest remains in
retaining an abbreviated brochure. Staff will prepare a draft for committee review. Davis volunteered to
distribute.
Project & Issue Updates:
Downtown Streetscape Parking Recommendations. The Committee reviewed the proposed downtown
parking space recommendations. Elevations and detailed drawings on the two proposed midblock spaces
and new space in front of the VFW are pending.
Durable Medical Equipment Drive. Miller and Vostad are in charge of this year’s event. Dates are June 19-
25. Staff will take care of advertising.
City Budget. Budgets are due on June 15th. Thornes will meet with the City Manager and Finance Director
on July 6th to review budget details. Funding request will be level funding plus two percent, pursuant to
management directive.
Accessible Parking Concern Updates.
University Mall – The property owner received notice from the Department of Justice Mediation
Division of a formal complaint filed against his business. The owner had already completed most of the
planned corrections and has been working with the Mediation Division. No further committee
involvement is anticipated.
Qdoba – The owner has installed vertical signs marking accessible parking spaces.
Swiftel /Sprint Communications – Thornes is working with city representatives on a new parking design
that will provide a compliant van parking space.
City ADA Coordinator’s Report
Streetscape Tables – Ten fixed seating tables were installed downtown at intersection bump-outs. Two
tables will be modified with one space cut out for wheelchair seating. City staff plans to retrofit one
table to make sure it works before having the second table modified.
DakTrack Software – Thornes is considering a software lease for DakTrack, an ADA compliance tracking
software. She saw a company demo at last year’s symposium and the consultants were in Brookings last
year for another project. The company is working with Rocky Mountain DBTAC and Meeting the
Challenge, a privately owned consulting firm, to tweak the software with user friendly improvements.
The software, which loaded on a tablet for in the field use, is a powerful tool for accessibility field data
collection. It accesses all applicable Federal and State standards from the field while collecting data on a
specific location/project.
Swiftel Center Review /Seating Recommendation - Committee members met with Swiftel Center
personnel to review items noted during last year’s spot check. Additional items were noted during that
meeting and added to the list
Parking Lot Spaces **
o Correct signage to accurately note van accessible spaces
o Install access aisle signage
o # of required spaces. 1000 total. 700 in primary lot.
Install stick-on truncated domes entering service road on both sides **
Parking along street **
o If continue practice of parking there, need to provide accessible space. Utilize the curb
ramp and install truncated dome, vertical signage
o Or, paint curb yellow and not allow any parking in location.
Remove tripping hazards in sidewalk to building. **
Modify one of the benches by either adding more hard surface on one end to provide
wheelchair/companion/transfer space or shorten one bench. **
Bevel tripping hazard in crosswalk area adjacent to accessible parking spaces.
Paint crosswalk on street to connect accessible parking to curb ramp at building south entrance.
Bevel tripping hazards near doors.
Install level landing in front of doorways. – PRIORITY
Install door opener button on level landing.
One lobby table must be accessible.
Recessed drinking fountain across from Dak meeting room is non-compliant. Should be 30” clear
floor space and only measures 24”. Fountain spout too high.
Recommend installing sign noting closest accessible drinking fountain
Lower Defrib equipment located above recessed fountain between bathrooms.
Women’s WC / near meeting rooms – flusher located on wrong side of stool. Must be on
open/transfer side of toilet.
Women’s WC is too small @ 59” x 59”.
All accessible stalls must have lever style slide handle. There’s a good example of a correct lever
in men’s restroom outside arena.
Paper towel holders were should be lowered or install sensor style in same location. Operable
area must not be any higher than 54” for side reach and 48” for forward reach. Same issue for
other items (feminine products, needle dispenser).
Must maintain 18” clearance on latch side of all doors. Trash cans were obstructing the required
clearance is most bathrooms.
Handrails must remain smooth and free from obstruction. Remove glow strips.
Mezzanine seating – if those are cheap seats, a portion of the bleachers must be removed for
wheelchair & companion seating or the cheaper seats must be provided in another comparable
location with similar sightlines.
Same concern with main level seating. Need to review pricing structure.
** Additions
During the meeting Swiftel Center personnel requested a long term accessible seating plan
recommendation. They hoped to have in time for this meeting; however, this is a big project that will
require substantial research. The recommendations must be based on enforceable standards. Thornes
distributed standards pertaining to arenas which are changing in 2012 (key issues are dispersion,
integration, and ticket pricing).
Sidewalks – A number of properties in Brookings never installed sidewalks. The City held a hearing on
May 24th regarding a proposed project to require owners install sidewalks. A number of individual
objected and the City Council voted down the proposal and asked city staff to review the project again.
The Committee may be asked to provide input at the June meeting.
Wellness Center – SDSU officials requested a meeting with the city manager for June 6th to discuss the
project. SDSU has until June 30th to comply with the city’s requirements.
Calendar
June 19-25 Durable Medical Equipment Drive
July 26th City Council Meeting, 6 pm - ABLE Award Presentations
October 5th NDEAM Events & Luncheon (National Employment Awareness Month)
Tentative Agenda Items:
June: Medical Equipment Drive, Budget Request Approval, ABLE Awards, Revisions to ADA Review
Process, Schedule of City Project Reviews
July: Governor’s Award Nominations, Snow removal policy research, Public Education on Van Spaces,
Draft Ordinance Revisions
Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Submitted by Shari Thornes