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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/02/1982MAPLEWOOD HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting February 2, 1982 Present: Bryant, Fischer, Larsen, Rostron, Williamson s Regrets: Haynes Guest: Clarence Norbau, Coon Rapids HRC The meeting was held at the St. Paul Priory inasmuch as the Public Works Building was inaccessible due to locks being changed while the city employees were on strike. As a result of the move the meeting started an hour late, and the main item was a presentation by our guest from Coon Rapids HRC. Clarence Norbau explained to the group how the Coon Rapids Human Rights Commission conducted an Architectural Accessibility Survey of their city. Press releases were issued outlining the proposed project and explaining how certain areas were targeted for surveying. Letters of invitation to participate in the survey were mailed to a percentage of establishments within the targeted areas. Highest priorities were assigned to schools, the medical profession, business, churches, and entertainment facilities. The survey team consisted of one disabled and one non-disabled surveyor. With the agreement of the participants, the survey team evaluated such accessibility features as the existence and number of disabled parking spaces, ramped entrances into buildings, width and types of doorways, existence of curb cuts or curb ramps, heights of entrance thresholds, di- mentions of interior and exterior landings, etc. , and where appropriate, existence and nature of accessible sanitation facilities. Several goals were sought initially: implementation of an architectural barriers removal program, preparation of an accessibility guide, and possibly recognition awards to local citizens for results obtained. However, once the survey was undertaken, the Human Rights Commission determined that their objectives could best be met by applying for funding from Anoka County Community Action Agency. They were successful and funding was made available for the Architectural Barriers Removal Program. Any business or individual was invited to apply for the funding, but priority was given to those facilities surveyed. The initial survey plans had to be curtailed somewhat due to time and effort available by the survey team. The accessibility guide and recognition awards program have not yet been completed. Following a question and answer period, the Chair thanked Mr. Norbau for his presentation. Additional information will be sent to MHRC next month for our use in considering a similar survey. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. Submitted by Pat Williamson o coon rapids to: Human Rights Commission date: 6-19-81 from: Kevin D. Frazell , Staff Liaison subject: Implementation of the Architectural Barriers Removal Program, and Date for the July Meeting Because a majority of the membership was not present at the June meeting, I am sending this memorandum to bring you up-to-date on the Architectural Barriers Removal Program. Anoka County Community Action Agency Director, Pat McFarland was at the Jur,: meeting to de.s. gibe how his agency proposes to implement the program. For your information, I have attached a project description as submitted by Pat. I indicated to the members present that I had a feeling the Commission was going to have a great deal of difficulty in completing the building survey of retail and commercial facilities this summer. Therefore, I suggested that we concentrate on medical facilities and res- taurants, which have already been surveyed, as our priority targets for 1981. Other facilities can be targeted as priorities in 1982 . However, this will not preclude applications from any interested business this year. The Commissioners who were present agreed that we should proceed in this manner. The July meeting has been moved up one week, to the first Monday in July, July 6th, 1981. This is because funding for the Architectural Barriers Removal Program may very well be available in mid-July, and we want to be ready to implement the program immediately. At the July 6th meeting , the Commission needs to decide which medical facilities and restaurants surveyed have the worst barrier problems , and therefore, should specifically be invited to participate in the program. The Commission also needs to set some standards as to how it will prioritize or sort out applications, ii we receive applications for more money than funds available. It is absolutely imperative that these steps be taken before we begin to implement the program. Therefore, I would strongly urge that everyone try to be present for the July meeting. Respectfully submitted, Kevin D. Frazell Staff Liaison sn Attachment 1313 Coon Rapids Boulevard,Coon Rapids,Minnesota 55433 612)755-2880 ANOKA COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, INC. 7150 EAST RIVER ROAD • ERIDLEY, MINNESOTA 55432 9 PHONE 572-0060 f Proposal to the City of Coon Rapids Handicapped Accessibility Project CDBG Program This proposal is designed to provide the City of Coon Rapids,its Council, commissions and staff with a proposal delivery mechanism for administration of the CDBG Accessibility Program. The Anoka County Community Action Agency, Inc., ACCAP, is a local non-profit corporation which was incorporated in 1965 with the expressed purpose of assisting low-income residents through a broad scope of programs and services. The agency currently delivers between $4,500,000 and $5,000,000 in annual programming. ACCAP has developed a broad background of housing expertise over the past five (5) years. The agency currently delivers all MHFA housing programs, including the accessibility grants, county-wide except in the City of Col- umbia Heights. The agency also operates a large scale home weatherization program for low-income homeowners throughout Anoka and Washington County. The agency proposes to deliver the Coon Rapids Accessibility Program as follows: I. Public Buildings/Businesses The City of Coon Rapids has provided us a summary sheet of medical fac- ilities, restaurants, and theatres needing accessibility work. We would ask the Human Rights Commission to determine the type of facilities they wish to make improvements to and provide the agency with a mailing list. It may be appropriate to target these funds to specific facilities, ie: medical facilities or restaurants as we project only having suff- icient funds for eight (8) facilities. The agency (or the City) would mail notice to these businesses, and if An Equal Opportunity Employer Proposal to the City of Coon Rapids page 2 the response exceeds available funds a lottery would be held at a public place and time to make the selection. Grants would be available for up to $1,000 to make improvements to gain compliance with Chapter 55 of the Minnesota State Building Code. Any costs above $1,000 will have to be borne by the business prior to starting construction. These funds will be held by the agency until the project is completed. The agency will utilize local contractors for all work on these projects and will main- tain Davis-Bacon compliance. Work to be completed will principally be entrance improvements, ramps, curb cuts, plumbi'.g modifications, and improvements in public restrooms. II. The process of awarding bids would be as follows: 1. ACCAP advertises for interested contractors for this program. Con- tractors must be licensed/bonded/insured per city requirements. 2. ACCAP staff will inventory buildings that are selected via lottery and prepare specifications. Building owner will sign off. 3. ACCAP will prepare working drawings of work to be completed and posted at the business. 4. ACCAP will mail specifications to registered contractors. 5. ACCAP will provide ten (10) days to return a sealed bid for the work. 6. Bids will be opened within 48 hours of bid closing `t :a public time and place. 7. ACCAP will award to the lowest responsible bidder.. All bids will be tabulated and kept on file. 8. If estimates exceed $1,000 to owner will be required to post with ACCAP any additional cost. 9. Contractor will pull necessary permits and commence construction. 10. ACCAP will inspect the work to insure comp-Li-race with the working drawings. ANOKA COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM., :INC_ Proposal to the City of Coon Rapids page 3 11. City inspectors will sign off on work completed. 12. ACCAP staff to complete final inspection. 13. Owner to sign off that all work was satisfactory. 14. ACCAP to issue check to contractor for work completed upon reciept of lien waiver. It, is the intent of ACCAP to bid their work in package form if feasible. This may allow more competitive bids and allow more work to be completed. ACCAP will provide the City of Coon Rapids with a summary report of work completed upon final completion of this project. ANOKA COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, INC. PRESS RELEASE During the next few months, The Human Rights Commission of Coon Rapids will he conducting an Architectural Accessibility Survey of a sample of the existing construction in the City of Coon Rapids to aid in determining the extent of architectural barriers in the City which restrict the physi- cal mobility of the City's disabled residents and which limit their func- tioning as independent and active members of the community. The Human Rights Commission has targeted a number of areas to be stir- veyed. The areas given the highest priority for evaluation are schools, the medical profession, business, churches, and entertainment facilities. These f i areas were given priority because of the important role they play in assuring 1 the quality of life for all residents of our community. Within each target area, a certain number or percentage of establishments will be surveyed, After representatives within each target area are select- ear a letter of invitation to participate in the survey will be sent to each potential participant. With the agreement of the participant, a survey team will be sent to the establishment to evaluate such accessibility features as the existence and number of disabled parking spaces, a ramped entrance into the building, width and type of doorway, the existance of curb cuts or curb ramps, hiegths of entrance threshold, dimensions of interior and exterior A landings, etc, and, where appropriate, the existance and nature of accessi- ble sanitation facilities. L is The survey team will be composed of a disabled surveyor and a non-dis- ab?ed surveyor. j - - - V z. - _ •- 2 - . T` The primary use of the sampling survey will be to give the Conn Rapidsi City Council a basis upon which to project the extent of the architectural barrier problem existing in the City. This baseline information can then be IusedtoenabletheCityCouncilortheHumanRightsCommissiontodesignan1operationalandeffectivearchitecturalbarriersremovalprogramtofunction over the next few years in a city-wide effort to remove and eradicate such artificial barriers to community participation by Coon Rapids' disabled citi- 1 s zens. According to statistics gathered _by the State Department -of Vocational g Rehabilitation, there are over 14,000 mobilityimpairedP people living in Anoka County, Such mobility impairments include blindness and visual ire- i FF@S PRESS RET. ASE, page 2 pairments, arthritis, rheumatism, the limitations imposed by the results of heart attacks and strokes, and physically disabling conditions which require the use of braces, walkers, crutches, or wheelchair. Amoung the architectural barriers impeding the already limited mobility of disabled people and others with mobility restrictions are curbs, exterior or interior stairs, inadequate door widths, raised door thresholds, water foun- tains and telephones placed -too high for the reach of people in wheelchairs, a lack of wide stalls and appropriately placed grab bars in public sanitation facilities, and an absense of tactile signs in public elevators to assist persons who are blind or who have visual impairments. Architectural barriers mean limitation for people with physical disabili- ties. The existence of architectural barriers mean that a disabled person can not choose his or her doctor on the same basis by which non-disabled per- sons choose theirs. A disabled person choice is often determined by whether or not he or she can get into the doctor's office or clinic. A disabled per- son's choice of which church to attend may and often is based on the fact that one church is accessible while another is not. In such ways as these, there are many unnecessary limitations added to the lives of disabled people due to the existence of those artificial environmental impediments called architectural barriers. The Hunan Rights Commission seeks to eliminate these artificial imped- iments. The results of the accessibility survey will aid in this endeavor, as will the willing participation of the community. The results of the accessibility survey may be put to other uses as well.3 In an effort to enhance the quality of life for Coon Rapids' residents who are disabled, the Human Rights Commission is considering using the survey information to publish an accessibility guide to Coon Rapids. The informa- tion contained in such a guide wontd greatly enable the City's disabled citi- zens to more extensively utilize the products, services, and businesses lo- cated in buildings already accessible to soma degre. The information publtch- ed in the guide would detail the accessibility features of retail buseziesses, grocery stores, shoopirg malls, medical facilities, restaurants, theaters, churches, and schools. The Human Rights Commission is also considering the possibility of issue- public awards to acknowledge local individuals who, in setting an examole PRESS R T:'SSE, page 3 their own efforts, remove the existing architectural barriers in their own establishments in support of the overall effort to make Coon Rapids barrier-free. Any individual from the business community, education, entertainment, the medical profession, or the religious community who is interested in the Coon Rapids accessibility survey, who would like more information re- gardig this survey, or who -;ould be willing to participate in it may con- tact--i F--t- eov-e- Yrja CA- Va4 -1-‘ F 4 3 S V 5 PROPOSED ACC. SS13ILITY G NT A. Free Money B. Criteria for Eligibility 1. private enterprises, etc., which are not required by law to be-accessible C. Amount of Grant 1. a maximum of $1000 D. Grant also includes Provision of Technical Assistance E. Allows Re-application Each Year F. Selection of Grantees According to Evaluation as to Need andDemandforService 1 1s Architectural Barriers Removal Program Anoka County Community Action Program7150EastRiverRoad Fridley, Minnesota 55432 APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE Application is hereby made for removal of the below described architecturalbarrierundertheCityofCoonRapidsArchitecturalBarrierRemovalPro-gram. Property Address Name of Facility or Business Type of Facility or Business Applicant/Owner 's Name Address Telephone Briefly describe the architectural barrier you wish to remove and how itimpedesaccesstooruseofyourplaceofbusinessbydisabledpersons . I estimate the cost to remove this harrier will be : Under $250 El $250-$500 fl $500-$750 D $750- $1 ,000 El Over $1 , 000 This application is submitted in accordance with the procedures of theArchitecturalBarrierRemovalProgram. I certify that I am duly authorizedbythepropertyownertoapplyforparticipationintheProgram. Lure of Applicant-------- Applications must be received no later than September 14 , 1981 . Uponr-ceipt , a representative of the Community Action Program will contact youdiscussyourprojectfurther .