Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutResolution 23-02 2022 Access McCall ADA Self Assessment and Transition PlanCity of McCall RESOLUTION 23-02 A RESOLUTION OF CITY OF MCCALL, IDAHO, ADOPTING THE 2022 ACCESS MCCALL ADA SELF ASSESSMENT AND TRANSITION PLAN UPDATE, PROVIDING FOR RELATED MATTERS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS; Title II of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against persons with disabilities by requiring the City to make all programs, services, and activities accessible to persons with disabilities; and WHEREAS An ADA Self Assessment and Transition Plan is required by federal law and is intended to serve as a guide on how the City will transition its facilities, infrastructure, and services to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted on July 26, 1990, provides comprehensive civil rights protections to persons with disabilities in the areas of employment, state and local government services, access to public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications; and WHEREAS Title II of the ADA outlines a two-step process for communicating to the public how an agency intends to meet the requirements of ADA: a self -assessment and transition plan; and WHEREAS All public agencies with 50 or more employees are required to complete these two steps to fulfill their requirements under ADA; and WHEREAS Listening sessions on October 6 and 7, 2022, provided three opportunities for people interested in the plan to talk with the project's consultants about their own experience with access in and around McCall; and WHEREAS An online survey ran August 2022 through the October listening sessions, 20 people completed the survey and those who provided their email address were providing additional announcements on the plan's progress throughout the effort; and WHEREAS The City's Communications Department promoted the online survey and listening sessions through its social media channels; and WHEREAS An overview of the ACCESS McCall plan goals and process was provided on the publicly noticed agendas for six of the City's Boards and Committees, including City Council. Resolution 23-02 Access McCall ADA Transition Plan February 9, 2023 Jo V Page 1 of 2 WHEREAS Organizations who have a specific interest or unique perspective on the needs of people with disabilities were identified by the City staff and consultant and provided opportunities for one-on-one interviews to provide input on the plan. WHEREAS at the November 19, 2020, City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council approved Resolution 20-24 adopting a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program for the McCall Municipal Airport; and WHEREAS at the November 19, 2020, City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council approved Resolution 20-26 adopting a Title VI Discrimination Complaint Procedure; and WHEREAS at the November 19, 2020, City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council approved Resolution 20-27 adopting an Effective Communication Policy; and WHEREAS at the December 3, 2020, City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council approved Resolution 20-25 adopting a Non- Discrimination Policy Statement and Limited English Proficiency plan; and WHEREAS at the February 25, 2021 City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council approved Resolution 21-07 adopting a Non- Discrimination Policy Statement, and Notice under the Americans With Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS, at the December 16, 2022, City Council Meeting, the McCall City Council reviewed the draft Access McCall ADA Self Assessment and Transition Plan for the City of McCall; and WHEREAS Annually the McCall City Council adopts a fair Housing Policy. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and City Council of the City of McCall, Valley County, Idaho that: Section 1: The Access McCall ADA Self Assessment and Transition Plan Update is hereby adopted, and a copy of the Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit 1, and by this reference incorporated herein. Section 2: This resolution shall be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval. Adopted this 9th day of February 2023. CITY OF MCCALL Valley County, Idaho ATTEST: ,> Pectic D..Qpu Ciy C e BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk Resolution 23-02 Access McCall ADA Transition Plan February 9, 2023 es, Mayor 011111111111,4 Mcc L6 Page 2 of 2 Access ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment McCall Adopted February 9, 2023 City Council Resolution 23-02 2 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ................................................................................ 3 1. Introduction & Purpose .................................................................. 9 2. The People & Plans of McCall ....................................................... 13 3. Input from the People of McCall .................................................. 19 4. Self Assessment: Programs & Policies ....................................... 24 5. Self Assessment: Public Buildings & Facilities ....................... 30 6. Self Assessment: Public Rights-of-way ...................................... 41 7. Transition Plan .................................................................................. 46 8. Other Strategies to Improve Access ........................................... 58 9. Schedule & Implementation Steps .............................................. 65 10. Appendix ............................................................................................. 69 Project Consultants Don Kostelec Chris Danley Dianna Willis Jeremy Maxand Dana Gover Erik Kingston With support from: Dr. Jenni Light McKenzie Bowey BreeLynn Robinson & 3 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Executive Summary Access McCall is the City of McCall’s Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan to fulfill requirements set forth in the Americans with Disabilitfes Act (ADA) of 1990. More than that, this Plan links other City plans and goals to an overall theme of ensuring McCall’s facilitfes, streets, programs, and policies provide and promote access to everyone who resides in and visits the area. It was adopted February 9, 2023. This Plan is generated through a combinatfon of technical analysis and public input to define prioritfes for McCall so it can transitfon its facilitfes and services into compliance over the next 20 years. Various people and organizatfons provided input through online surveys, one -on-one interviews, and listening sessions to help identffy and prioritfze needs for people with disabilitfes. Background The Americans with Disabilitfes Act (ADA), enacted on July 26, 1990, provides comprehensive civil rights protectfons to persons with disabilitfes in the areas of employment, state and local government services, access to public accommodatfons, transportatfon, and telecommunicatfons. The ADA is divided into five tftles that relate to difherent facets of public life. These are summarized in Figure ES -1 Title II of the ADA is what Access McCall addresses. Title II prohibits state and local governments from discriminatfng against persons with disabilitfes by requiring the City to make all programs, services, and actfvitfes accessible to persons with disabilitfes. Title II requires that a public entfty conduct self - evaluatfon of its services, programs, policies, and practfces to determine whether they are in compliance with nondiscriminatfon requirements of the ADA. Americans with Disabilities Act Five Titles Title I: Employment - Helps people with disabilitfes access the same employment opportunitfes and benefits available to people without disabilitfes. Title II: Public Services - State and Local Governments - Prohibits discriminatfon on the basis of disability by public entftfes such as state and local government agencies. Title III: Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities - Prohibits privately-owned places of public accommodatfon from discriminatfng against individuals with disabilitfes. Title IV: Telecommunications - Requires telephone and Internet companies to provide a natfonwide system of interstate and intrastate telecommunicatfons relay services that allows individuals with hearing or speech disabilitfes to communicate over the telephone. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Contains a variety of provisions relatfng to the ADA as a whole, including its relatfonship to other laws, state immunity, its impact on insurance providers and benefits, prohibitfon against retaliatfon and coercion, illegal use of drugs, and attorney’s fees. Figure ES-1: The Five Titles of ADA 4 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Title II outlines a two-step process for communicatfng to the public how an agency intends to meet the requirements of ADA. The two steps are a Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan. All public agencies with 50 or more employees are required to complete these two steps to fulfill their requirements under ADA. The City previously undertook an efhort to meet these requirements in 2011, which resulted in the adoptfon of Resolutfon No. 11-14 that officially endorsed a Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan that was in efhect untfl Access McCall was developed to take its place. Step 1: Self Assessment (or Self Evaluation). The requirement to conduct a Self Assessment of the City of McCall’s facilitfes, infrastructure, programs, and policies focuses on identffying how the City is addressing requirements of ADA. The Self Assessment helps identffying methods to improve the accessibility of the many services the City provides. To fulfill Self Assessment requirements, the City ’s consultants conducted in-the-field data collectfon for all City buildings, streets, parks, and pathways during the summer of 2022. Additfonally, the consultant reviewed City policies, programs, and services to determine how they comply with ADA requirements and how they may be modified to better address the needs of people with disabilitfes. Step 2: Transition Plan. The ADA requires that a Transitfon Plan be prepared, to describe any structural or physical changes required to make facilitfes accessible. A Self Assessment of programs and facilitfes feeds the findings of the Transitfon Plan, which outlines methods by which program, policy, physical or structural changes will be made to afhect the nondiscriminatfon policies described in Title II. The Transitfon Plan sectfons of Access McCall is organized in accordance with requirements stemming from ADA and subsequent guidance from the US Access Board, US Department of Justfce (DOJ), and US Department of Transportatfon (DOT). Figure ES-2 shows steps a City can take to create a more accessible City via this plan, as well as implementatfon of the Plan’s recommendatfons and conductfng future updates. McCall’s People & Plans An estfmated 284 out of 3,453 people in McCall report having a disability, or 1 in 12, residents exclusive of the families and others who serve as caregivers to many with disabilitfes. Some notable features of that data include: • Nearly 2 out of 3 McCall residents reportfng a disability are female. • 73% of those reportfng a disability are aged 35 to 64, an overrepresentatfon of that age cohort which comprises 40% of McCall’s populatfon. • 45% of those reportfng a disability have hearing difficulty. • 32% of those reportfng a disability have cognitfve difficulty. • 30% of those reportfng a disability have vision difficulty. The City has recognize the needs of these residents, as well as those of the overall populatfon and visitors throughout several plans adopted by the City in recent years. They point to the need for the City Self Assessment Transition Plan Update Implementation Figure ES-2: Creating an Accessible City 5 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment to contfnue to improve access for people with disabilitfes. Incorporatfng these themes into key community plans greatly helps in defining prioritfes within the Transitfon Plan component of Access McCall. It also bolsters the case for how accessible facilitfes and programs are not merely meetfng a federal requirements, but making sure the City achieves its stated and adopted goals for residents and visitors. Some of the plans that address these accessibility needs include: • McCall in Motion, the 2018 Comprehensive Plan; • McCall in Motion Transportation Master Plan , adopted in 2017; and • Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan (PROS), under development and slated for adoptfon in 2023. Public Input Input to Access McCall was provided via the following outreach efhorts: • Presentatfon to City Commissions and Boards; • Online Survey and social media promotfon; • Listening Sessions; and • Outreach to individual organizatfons that work with and represent people with disabilitfes. Partfcipants in these forums were asked to provide their thoughts and perspectfves on how to make McCall more accessible, with a focus on public buildings, streets, pathways, and City programs and policies. Partfcipants were also allowed to provide input on other ways in which the City could promote accessibility through things like improved business access. The details and results of this public input are found in Chapter 3 of the full Access McCall plan. Programs & Policies Recommendations After evaluatfng the City’s various programs and policies through the lens of accessibility, a series of recommended actfons were developed to contfnue to improve on existfng conditfons. These recommendatfons include: • Update resolutfons to reference the Access McCall plan as the City ’s official Transitfon Plan. • Contfnuing to upgrade the City’s communicatfon outlets—website, social media, etc—to provide greater accessibility. • Modifying City Code to provide more details and incorporatfon of themes related to greater access for people with disabilitfes. The City may consider other program and policy measures to contfnue to improve access for residents and visitors. These could include a sidewalk fee-in-lieu program that would help fund filling of sidewalk and pathway gaps through funds generated by development that occurs on secondary streets that are not likely to have sidewalks in the near future. Another policy idea is an ordinance to promote what is known as “Visitability,” which requires certain design features of new single-family homes to make the ground floor, at minimum, accessible to people with disabilitfes. Public input included one-on-one listening sessions held at different times of day at the McCall Transit Center. This allowed the Access McCall consultant team the opportunity to have more in-depth discussions with people who are interested in making the City more accessible. 6 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Public Buildings & Facilities The evaluatfon of public buildings and facilitfes, such as parks, revealed that the majority of McCall’s existfng facilitfes have accessible features. This is due to investments in recent years to upgrade City Hall, construct a new Library, and re-construct facilitfes in Brown Park. The Public Works building and Golf Course Clubhouse access ramp are also slated for a major upgrades in the near future. The City is already embarking on design efhorts for upgrades to two locatfons identffied as prioritfes—the Civic Campus and the public Boat Dock at Legacy Park (Figure ES-3). While these are under design and ADA needs are being incorporated into them, they are not yet fully funded. The Central Idaho Historical Museum and Gold Glove Park are two other locatfons identffied as prioritfes for upgrades. The PROS Plan may result in additfonal recommendatfons for upgrades to McCall’s parks, which would then incorporate accessibility needs into the future design. One notable locatfon is Riverfront Park, which is a focus of the PROS Plan. While the Park is currently in a more natural state, plans may show a desire for features such as a recreatfon center and more pathways. Upgrading other buildings and facilitfes may also require pursuit of other funds, in the form of grants. The City may also conduct annual citywide efhorts to address minor accessibility upgrades to things like public restrooms and buildings. These are typically non-structural upgrades like adjustfng the heights of fixtures or modifying door handles to meet ADA requirements. Public Streets & Pathways As with many of the City’s public buildings and facilitfes, the investments in recent years to expand McCall’s sidewalks and pathways system has resulted in infrastructure that is largely accessible. Therefore, the City is recommended to contfnue expanding its sidewalk and pathway network to provide connectfvity to neighborhoods and destfnatfons. Public input confirmed that expanding the system will provide greater accessibility in the near -term than upgrading existfng sidewalks and ramps. When evaluatfng ADA compliance on sidewalks and curb ramps, the overall needs were features such as sidewalk surface conditfons that degrade a higher rate due to McCall’s winter climate. On curb ramps, ADA requirements such as cross slopes, running slopes, and landing areas were predominantly compliant. Fea- tures measured to be non-compliant were determined to be the result of realitfes of constructfng new sidewalks and curb ramps adjacent to old streets. This can Figure ES-3 Priority Public Buildings & Facilities Boat Dock Upgrades Reconstructfng this area next to Legacy Park will provide not only access to the lake for people with disabilitfes but also a more accessible pedestrian route along Lake Street to the newly- reconstructed Brown Park. Historical Museum New ramps to the major buildings and upgrading unpaved areas between buildings will provide an accessible route to the first floors while not upsetting the historical significance of the buildings. Civic Campus Access Recommendatfons include paving the parking lot to include accessible spaces and transit access, as well as creatfng a pedestrian access route that links the many public buildings in this area. This, along with the connectfons to the pathway, will provide greater access to this concentratfon of public buildings. Gold Glove Park The City recently completed upgrades to parking and restroom access. Providing an accessible route to the drinking fountain, playground, and ballfield viewing areas would increase access to a greater degree. 7 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment oftentfmes result in having to evaluate tradeofhs in building a new curb ramp to meet both existfng slopes at the street and the sidewalk. It can be difficult, if not impossible within reasonable cost constraints, to achieve full compliance given these and many other factors. When full compliance is not attainable due to a variety of build and natural environment factors, the City is provided and recommended to use an Accessibility Exceptfons Certfficatfon Form that docu- ments the conditfons that led to a design that while not fully compliant, fulfills requirements of ADA to the maximum extent feasible. The priority investments identffied for sidewalks and curb ramps consist primarily of rebuilding some sidewalk segments and upgrading Detectable Warning Surfaces (aka truncated domes) to the bottom of curb ramps to provide greater detectability to people with vision disabilitfes. Because of the relatfvely few locatfons identffied, these upgrades are considered lower priority than the previously-identffied public buildings and facilitfes projects. For pathways, the primary need for ADA -related upgrades relates to installatfon of Detectable Warning Surfaces where pathways cross streets. These upgrades may be done when pathways are resurfaced or as part of a separate project. Transition Plan Schedule Figure ES-5 (next page) is the combinatfon of recommendatfons for programs and policies, buildings and facilitfes, and public rights-of-way, to help McCall transitfon its network of public places into compliance with ADA. Recognizing the financial realitfes, this Schedule identffies these aforementfoned prioritfes and groups projects into priority tfers. Programs and policies should be updated soon after adoptfon of this Plan. The City is recommended to adopt Access McCall as its official ADA Transitfon Plan and Self-Evaluatfon to meet federal requirements. With that, it is also recommended that the City establish an annual fund of $50,000 for priority projects. Prioritfes may change over tfme and the City may be the recipient of grants for specific projects that may cause one priority project to advance in schedule ahead of another. Any changes in schedule should be included in the recommended Annual Progress Report that outlines the progress the City is making each year on implementfng the recommendatfons of Access McCall. The City is recommended to update Access McCall in or around 2035 in order to evaluate progress and identffy new prioritfes. It is likely that new ADA requirements will emerge by then and incorporated into a new Self -Evaluatfon. Figure ES-4 Priority Public Rights-of-Way Projects Sidewalk Repair Priorities Sidewalk surface conditfons deteriorate more rapidly in winter climates like those experienced in McCall. The City may choose to pay for these upgrades or assess adjacent property owners (where applicable) for these upgrades. Five (5) segments were identffied with City right-of -way as needing upgrades, totaling ap- proximately 1,200 linear feet of sidewalk. Curb Ramp Upgrades Detectable Warning Surfaces are the pads at the transitfon from a curb ramp to a street to help people with vision disabilitfes know when they are entering a street. These surface may degrade over tfme or are in need of replacement to cover the full width of the ramp. Thirteen (13) locatfons were identffied in City right-of-way. Pathway Crossings The pathway crossings of streets requires accessibility features like those of side- walks. In McCall, the needs identffied were Detectable Warning Surfaces. Other up- grades made be made to ramp slopes when pathways or the adjacent roadway are re- surfaced. Approximately 90 locatfons were identffied, with many in areas that provide access to residentfal areas but not many public buildings/facilitfes. 8 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Figure ES-5 Transition Plan Schedule 9 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 1. Introduction & Purpose Access McCall is the City of McCall’s Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan to fulfill requirements set forth in the Americans with Disabilitfes Act (ADA) of 1990. More than that, this Plan links other City plans and goals to an overall theme of ensuring McCall’s facilitfes, streets, programs, and policies provide and promote access to everyone who resides in and visits the area. It was adopted February 9, 2023. This Plan is generated through a combinatfon of technical analysis and public input to define prioritfes for McCall so it can transitfon its facilitfes and services into compliance over the next 20 years. Various people and organizatfons provided input through online surveys, one -on-one interviews, and listening sessions to help identffy and prioritfze needs for people with disabilitfes. Access McCall provides more than recommendatfons to rebuild or retrofit older infrastructure and modify existfng programs and policies, which are foundatfonal elements of ADA compliance. It recognizes, supported by public input, that expanding infrastructure like sidewalks and pathways to provide access to key destfnatfons around the City is a higher, short -term priority than rebuilding existfng infrastructure that has relatfvely minor non-compliant features, most of which are due to constraints and realitfes related to retrofitting old streets with new ramps and sidewalks. The City already has many of these pathway projects planned in its Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and is working with the Idaho Transportatfon Department (ITD) to identffy optfons for providing pedestrian facilitfes along State Highway 55. These investments, along with upgrading facilitfes like public restrooms, public parks, and other features, will take tfme and notable financial resources. The City is already on a path to upgrading many of its building and streets to improve access. These investments include a new Library, recent and upcoming upgrades to Brown Park, a recently-remodeled City Hall, and remodeling the Public Works Building. 10 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment For other needs, Access McCall provides a generalized schedule of when the City should pursue completfng additfonal facility and infrastructure investments. Meanwhile, the City can more quickly and easily update and amend its existfng policies and adapt various programs to comply with ADA and improve access to everyone in McCall. ADA Summary The Americans with Disabilitfes Act (ADA), enacted on July 26, 1990, provides comprehensive civil rights protectfons to persons with disabilitfes in the areas of employment, state and local government services, access to public accommodatfons, transportatfon, and telecommunicatfons. The ADA is divided into five tftles that relate to difherent facets of public life: • Title I: Employment • Title II: Public Services - State and Local Governments • Title III: Public Accommodatfons and Services Operated by Private Entftfes • Title IV: Telecommunicatfons; and • Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions Title II of the ADA is what Access McCall addresses. Title II prohibits state and local governments from discriminatfng against persons with disabilitfes by requiring the City to make all programs, services, and actfvitfes accessible to persons with disabilitfes. Title II requires a public entfty to evaluate its services, programs, policies, and practfces to determine whether they are in compliance with the nondiscrimina- tfon requirements of the ADA. Title II Requirements Title II outlines a two-step process for communicatfng to the public how an agency intends to meet the requirements of ADA. The two steps are a Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan. All public agencies with 50 or more employees are required to complete these two steps to fulfill their requirements under ADA. The City previously addressed these requirements in 2011, which resulted in the adoptfon of Resolutfon No. 11-14 that endorsed the City’s Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan that was in efhect untfl Access McCall was developed to take its place. Step 1: Self Assessment (or Self Evaluation). The requirement to conduct a Self Assessment of the City of McCall’s facilitfes, infrastructure, programs, and policies identffies how the City is addressing requirements of ADA. The Self Assessment helps identffying methods to improve the accessibility of the many services the City provides. This includes an evaluatfon of: • Design and maintenance of existfng public buildings, parks, rights -of-way, and other facilitfes for which the public has regular access. • Programs, policies, and other practfces where it is necessary to avoid discriminatfon against people with disabilitfes. • Communicatfon methods and protocols that make informatfon accessible and available to people with hearing, vision, and speech disabilitfes. Americans with Disabilities Act Five Titles Title I: Employment - Helps people with disabilitfes access the same employment opportunitfes and benefits available to people without disabilitfes. Title II: Public Services - State and Local Governments - Prohibits discriminatfon on the basis of disability by public entftfes such as state and local government agencies. Title III: Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities - Prohibits privately-owned places of public accommodatfon from discriminatfng against individuals with disabilitfes. Title IV: Telecommunications - Requires telephone and Internet companies to provide a natfonwide system of interstate and intrastate telecommunicatfons relay services that allows individuals with hearing or speech disabilitfes to communicate over the telephone. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Contains a variety of provisions relatfng to the ADA as a whole, including its relatfonship to other laws, state immunity, its impact on insurance providers and benefits, prohibitfon against retaliatfon and coercion, illegal use of drugs, and attorney’s fees. Figure 1:-1 The Five Titles of ADA 11 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment To fulfill Self Assessment requirements, the City’s consultants conducted in-the-field data collectfon for all City buildings, streets, parks, and pathways during the summer of 2022. Additfonally, the consultant reviewed City policies, programs, and services to determine how they comply with ADA requirements and how they may be modified to better address the needs of people with disabilitfes. Step 2: Transition Plan. The ADA requires that a Transitfon Plan be prepared, to describe any structural or physical changes required to make facilitfes accessible. A Self Assessment of programs and facilitfes feeds the findings of the Transitfon Plan, which outlines methods by which program, policy, physical or structural changes will be made to ensure nondiscriminatfon policies described in Title II are adhered to. The Transitfon Plan sectfons of Access McCall is organized in accordance with requirements stemming from ADA and subsequent guidance from the US Access Board, US Department of Justfce (DOJ), and US Department of Transportatfon (DOT). The recommendatfons contained in the Transitfon Plan sectfon of Access McCall include: • Identffy modificatfons to existfng City policies to ensure the needs of people with disabilitfes are provided for through the City’s Grievance Policy. • A proposed schedule of improvements to existfng facilitfes and infrastructure, based on prioritfes generated by a combinatfon of ADA requirements, public input, and technical expertfse. • Guidance for how new or rehabbed facilitfes, streets, sidewalks, and pathways constructed by the City or required of private development in City rights-of-way, comply with physical design requirements of ADA and are subject to documentatfon when design exceptfons are necessary. • Recommended modificatfons to engineering standards used by the City to construct public right -of- way projects that substantfally comply with ADA and contain enough detail to help ensure the final product of the design work is compliant. • Program-related recommendatfons for the City to employ that ensures people have access to the various City programs, as well as recommendatfon practfces for management of snow and constructfon actfvitfes that impact sidewalks, curb ramps, and pathways. • Recognizing already-planned sidewalk/pathways gaps on major streets where the lack of facilitfes, according to public input, represent a greater barrier to access than the City ’s existfng sidewalks and curb ramps. US Civil Rights Laws In additfon to Title II requirements of ADA, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discriminatfon on the basis of race, color, or natfonal origin in any program or actfvity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance. According to DOJ, this means programs that receive Federal funds cannot distfnguish among individuals on the basis of race, color or natfonal origin, either directly or indirectly, in the types, quantfty, quality or tfmeliness of program services, aids or benefits that they provide or the manner in which they provide them. Self Assessment Transition Plan Update Implementation Figure 1-2: Creating an Accessible City 12 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Further, this prohibitfon applies to intentfonal discriminatfon as well as to procedures, criteria or methods of administratfon that appear neutral but have a discriminatory efhect on individuals. The law requires that policies and practfces that have such an efhect must be eliminated unless a recipient can show that they were necessary to achieve a legitfmate nondiscriminatory objectfve. The Civil Rights Restoratfon Act of 1987 further stfpulates that agencies receiving federal funds must obey Civil Rights laws in all areas of their organizatfon, not just the department, program, or actfvity that received funding. Since McCall utflizes federal funds, such as Community Development Block Grant Funds and Transportatfon Alternatfves Program funds, for which this law applies. Prevailing ADA Standards & Guidance ADA only stfpulates the overall requirements for complying with the law. ADA does not provide details as to how agencies are to implement the law for things such as the design of facilitfes and infrastructure. There are two sets of standards and guidance that provide this: • 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, previously referred to as ADAAG or the guidelines; and • Accessibility Guidelines for the Public Rights-of-Way, commonly called PROWAG. Note that the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the adopted standards while PROWAG is referred to as guidelines. While the difherence in the language is subtle, the importance of understanding the difherence between the two words and the applicable ADA designs they cover is crucial to properly complying with ADA. Standards are viewed as requirements while guidelines are viewed as best practfces that do not have the same stringent requirements as standards. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessibility. Commonly referred to as the ADA Standards, these are formally adopted and issued by the DOJ and USDOT to cover facilitfes covered by the ADA in new constructfon and alteratfons. While not specific to things like sidewalks and curb ramps along streets, the technical details contained in the ADA Standards are commonly applied to those facilitfes. The data collectfon efhort that measured and cataloged McCall’s public buildings and facilitfes for ADA compliance is based on the ADA Standards. PROWAG. PROWAG contains the technical details for sidewalks, curb ramps, and other features for pub- lic rights-of-way, but has yet to be adopted as the formal standard. DOJ and USDOT have formally acknowledged that while PROWAG is guidance, it does represent the best practfce when it comes to achieving ADA compliance in public rights-of-way. PROWAG has been pending formal adoptfon by the federal government for nearly two decades, with that formal adoptfon of PROWAG as the standards pending in 2023, according to the US Access Board. Because of the pending actfon that will make PROWAG the federal standard, the data collectfon efhort for public rights-of-way in McCall is based on PROWAG instead of the ADA Standards. By building things that are compliant with PROWAG, the City of McCall can ensure that things like sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian push buttons, and other features are accessible under the law when PROWAG guidelines becomes the standards. vs. PROWAG ADA Standards Standards for physical access requirements to ensure the civil right to access the goods and services of public buildings and sites for most people with disabilitfes. Agencies may not adopt local standards that deviate from these. Guidelines for physical access for elements located within the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way is the roads, sidewalks, and shared-use paths controlled by a public entfty. Agencies may adopt PROWAG as their own standards. Figure 1-3: Comparing the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and PROWAG Source: Rocky Mountain ADA Center 13 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 2. The People & Plans of McCall Data provided by the United States Census indicate 1 in 12 (or 284) of McCall’s residents reports having some type of disability. Figure 2-1 at right shows how that compares to Valley County, the State of Idaho, and the United States. Even though that figure is lower in McCall than in other larger geographies, it does not diminish the importance of it. There are other facets of the built environment in McCall where a ratfo of 1 in 12 results in substantfal discussions and investments on the need to address it. For example, approximately 1 in 12 motor vehicles traveling through McCall on State Highway 55 are trucks, according to ITD traffic counts. That has prompted the City and ITD to engage in very important discussions on how to best route that roughly 8% of the traffic around the City rather than through it. Why? For the safety, mobility, and economic opportunity of the people of Idaho and McCall. Those same safety, mobility, and economic opportunity goals are what drives the City of McCall to address the needs of the 12% of City residents who report having a disability. Figure 2 -2 below shows how disabilitfes afhect everyone—those who have a disability, as well as those caring for or serving someone who has a disability. Further, any barrier that excludes or adversely impacts an individual with disabilitfes also excludes or adversely impacts their family, friends, and colleagues by extension. Geography % of Population with a Disability United States 12.7% Idaho 13.5% Valley County 13.4% McCall 8.2% Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2020 5-year estimates, Table S1810 Image Source: CDC, Disability Impacts All of Us Figure 2-1: Percent of Population with a Disability Figure 2-2: Percentage of Adults with Functional Disability Types (USA) 14 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Demographics Understanding the City’s populatfon is important to understanding the people of McCall as well as informing how projects and programs should be prioritfzed to improve accessibility. The 2020 Census data provides details on McCall’s populatfon from an age and disability status perspectfve. With a 2020 estfmated populatfon of 3,453 people, the datasets for McCall are relatfvely small and subject to higher margins of error. This is partfcularly true for details related to people reportfng a disability. Therefore, data outputs are generalized in the figures corresponding to this sectfon to represent common themes rather than very specific needs or geographic areas of greater need according to populatfon characteristfcs. It is important to look beyond the raw figures and understand the context of the data. Figure 2 -3 shows how McCall’s overall populatfon is sorted by age group. The figure highlights how people in these difherent age groups can experience a disability, not only from a personal difficulty standpoint but from the standpoint of how others in their lives who have a disability can influence their own daily life, especially in the form of being a caregiver, which is addressed in the next sectfon. Additfonal data on McCall residents reportfng a disability are found in Figure 2 -4 on the following page. Some notable features of that data include: • Nearly 2 out of 3 McCall residents reportfng a disability are female. • 73% of those reportfng a disability are aged 35 to 64, an overrepresentatfon of that age cohort which comprises 40% of McCall’s populatfon. • 45% of those reportfng a disability have hearing difficulty. Figure 2-3: Percentage of McCall’s Population, by Age Group Older Adults: All people, regardless of disability status, often experience challenging health conditions as they age. For people with disabilities, the impact their disability has on their daily life may become more pronounced as other mobility, sensory, or cognitive challenges emerge. Spouses, partners, or family members often serve as caregivers. Working Age Adults: Over half of working age adults with a disability experience some difficulty completing their work duties because of their disability. Almost half of all persons with a disability who were not working reported some type of barrier to employment. People in this age group are increasingly serving in a caregiver role to a parent. Young Adults: Providing young adults with access to City programs and services is critical as they transition from youth as aging out of the school system often results in a loss of the support, therapies, and assistance they received in school. Building systems to meet their needs fosters independence and promotes employment and community integration. Youth: Providing opportunities for full and equal social, civic, economic, and political participation is beneficial not only to youth with disabilities, but also their surrounding societies, allowing youth to contribute fully to a community’s development and economic growth to the fullest extent of their abilities. Youth who are in a family that is serving as a caregiver to someone with a disability often play a role in that caregiving. 15 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment People Reporting a Disability % of Total Population % of People Reporting a Disability Population 284 8.2% - Male 105 3.0% 37% Female 179 5.2% 63% 17 & under 0 0.0% 0% 18 - 34 years 44 1.3% 16% 35 to 64 years 207 6.0% 73% 65 to 74 years 0 0.0% 0% 75 years and over 33 1.0% 12% Reported Difficulty Total % of Total Disabled Population Hearing 127 45% Vision 85 30% Cognitive 91 32% Ambulatory 59 21% Self-Care 0 0% Independent Living 33 12% Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2020 5-year estimates, Table S1810 Note: Figures may not equal 100% due to people reporting more than one difficulty. • 32% of those reportfng a disability have cognitfve difficulty. • 30% of those reportfng a disability have vision difficulty. Of partfcular note is the dataset showing no one in McCall reportfng a self-care difficulty. This likely reveals the limitatfons of having a small dataset for a city the size of McCall. Census data for the 5 -year period ending in 2012, for example, showed 23 people in McCall having a self- care difficulty. It is unlikely that everyone in that cohort is somehow no longer living in the City and that no one has moved to McCall or developed a self-care difficulty since 2012. The 2020 data for Valley County shows 117 people reportfng a self-care difficulty. Approximately 1 in 5 of Valley County residents reportfng a disability live in McCall, so it would be reasonable to assume a similar percentage of the county ’s total of those reportfng a self-care difficulty reside in McCall. The Role of Caregiving The Family Caregiver Alliance defines a caregiver as someone with “any relatfve, partner, friend or neighbor who has a significant personal relatfonship with, and provides a broad range of assistance for, an older person or an adult with a chronic or disabling conditfon.” A 2020 AARP report Caregiving in the U.S. estfmates that more than 1 in 5 Americans are caregivers. This means that those 1 in 12 people in McCall who have a disability are likely supported by at least one caregiver, meaning approximately 1 in 6 people are likely to have a life experience in McCall that requires access to the City’s facilitfes, infrastructure, and programs. AARP notes that “The impact of disease or disability can ripple beyond the caregiver and recipient. Other members of the family or community, such as children in the home, may be called upon to carry out care tasks.” For example, people in the 36 to 64 years old age group have reached an age where their parents are getting older and are more likely to have a disability. This means they may play an increasing role as a caregiver of someone with a disability and rely on their children to assist. Data from AARP and the Family Caregiver Alliance show the average age of a caregiver is 49 years old and the average age of the person receiving the care is 69 years old. Older adults are more likely to be a caregiver for a spouse or partner, with the average age of a spousal caregiver in the United States being 62 years. Figure 2-4: Census Data for People with Disabilities in McCall 16 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment City & Area Plans Several of the City of McCall’s key planning documents point to the need for the City to contfnue to improve access for people with disabilitfes. Incorporatfng these themes into key community plans greatly helps in defining prioritfes within the Transitfon Plan component of Access McCall. It also bolsters the case for how accessible facilitfes and programs are not merely meetfng a federal requirements, but making sure the City achieves its stated and adopted goals for the City ’s residents and visitors. Comprehensive Plan (2018). The City’s Comprehensive Plan—McCall in Motion—aligns with this goal as it tfes themes like accessibility to the character, economy, and connectfons desired in McCall. This support begins with the vision: • “McCall is a diverse, small town united to maintain a safe, clean, healthy, and attractfve environment. It is a friendly, progressive community that is afhordable and sustainable.“ Other key elements of McCall in Motion that relate to accessibility themes are highlighted in Figure 2-5 below. Additfonally, the plan refers to the “Main Street” of McCall as Third Street and Lake Street, which are designated as State Highway 55 and managed by ITD. The corridor lacks sidewalks for much of its length within the City. The Plan notes is “home to several popular destfnatfons and is heavily traveled by tourists on foot, bike, and personal car.” This, along with public input on Access McCall, recognizes that the absence of sidewalks or pathways poses a barrier to accessibility for people who live in and visit McCall. Key accessibility themes identified in McCall in Motion Plan Vision Encourage walking, biking, and recreatfonal actfvitfes through an easily accessible and cohesive transportatfon system and pathway network. (Page 45) Commit to walking, biking, transit, and new types of streets to improve resident and visitor mobility. (Page 45) Our Character Enhance and protect public access to nature, including Payette Lake and River, the downtown waterfront, parks, and green space. (page 41) Our Character, Enhance and protect public access to nature, including Payette Lake and River, the downtown waterfront, parks, and green space. (page 41) Goal 9: Develop accessible community gathering places that encourage interactfon and provide places for people of all ages to visit and relax. (page 111) Goal 4: Protect and enhance public access along Payette Lake and the character of the shoreline. (page 111) Our Economy Advocate for the health and wellness of residents through contfnued, enhanced, and expanded access to healthcare, nutritfous food, and actfve living. (page 43) Policy 1.6 Contfnue to provide access to materials and programming from the Public Library for those who are home-bound or otherwise unable to move freely about the community. (page 132) Our Connections Goal 1: Foster a transportatfon system for current and future year-round needs that is safe, convenient, accessible, economical, and consistent with McCall’s character. (page 134) Goal 2: Ensure critfcal framework streets provide safe access and circulatfon for all modes of travel the City, while establishing a sense of place. (page 136) Policy 2.4 Address motorized and non-motorized uses of the lake and points of access to the lake. (page 143) Figure 2-5: McCall in Motion Accessibility Themes 17 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Transportation Master Plan (2017). The themes of the Transportatfon Master Plan that address accessibility are primarily contained in the policy sectfon of the plan, specifically: • Our Pathways: Encourage an accessible and connected pathway system, with safe pedestrian and bicycle routes that serve residents and visitors. (page 13) • Parks Pathways vs Streets Pathways: Pathways typically serve two primary functfons: recreatfon and transportatfon. Paved pathways designed to meet the requirements associated with ADA are an important part of the transportatfon network, providing optfons for people to walk or bike to their destfnatfon. (page 31) Appendix C of the Transportatfon Master Plan addresses a key accessibility need in places like McCall: Snow Removal. It includes examples from other citfes on how they approach this challenging need: • Having a business associatfon or business improvement district (BID) take responsibility for snow removal. This model is used in Bend, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; and Boston, Massachusetts. The Downtown Bend Business Associatfon (DBBA), also loans out snow shovels to downtown businesses, which are responsible for shoveling out their storefronts and curb accesses (the DBBA focuses on clearing the main walkway sectfon of the sidewalk). • A public agency takes responsibility for snow removal. Jackson, Wyoming hires a contractor for downtown sidewalk snow removal. The Citfes of Sandpoint and Ketchum, Idaho, both require adjacent property owners to clear their sidewalks, similar to McCall. Note that Access McCall Chapter 8: Other Strategies to Improve Access includes additfonal recommendatfons for policies that will contfnue to make sidewalks and pathways accessible during winter. Pathways Master Plan (2012). This plan identffies the goal for a interconnected system of pathways for the City. Goal 2 of the plan is to “increase pathway use for people of all physical abilitfes, and improve health and fitness of trail users by providing connected pathways for walking and biking. Under that goal, policy 2.1 specifies the need to “provide facilitfes that meet ADA standards and are easy to find” (page 34). More than 90% of those who completed a survey chose “Gaps in the pathways system,” the highest response rate among eight choices for a questfon asking about the current barriers or im- pediments to using pathways more often. Additfonal accessibility themes are included in the plan’s sectfons on: • Health Benefits: Having safe and convenient cycling and walking optfons for transportatfon increas- es the number of people using those optfons and seeing health -related benefits from physical exer- cise, basic mobility and accessibility, mental health and social benefits of reduced isolatfon, and afhordability. • National Design Guidelines/Standards: At a minimum, pathway design should adhere to accessibil- ity requirements of the ADA Standards. Street crossings and pathways in a public right-of-way that functfon as sidewalks should also be designed in accordance with the draft Public Rights -Of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). “Encourage an accessible and connected pathway system, with safe pedestrian and bicycle routes that serve residents and visitors.” - McCall in Motion Transportation Master Plan. 18 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment “Communities that work to develop easily accessible, reliable, and varied forms of transportation, including safe options for walking and biking, help boost both physical and mental health of community members as well as reduce air pollution.” - St. Luke’s McCall 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment. PROS: Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan (2023). The City was engaged in its Parks, Recreatfon, and Open Space Plan (PROS) while Access McCall was developed. The PROS Plan will identffy a 10-year vision for development by the City and is scheduled for adoptfon in late -2023. The initfal inventory for the PROS plan indicated the City has more than 50 acres of developed parkland and another 33 acres of undeveloped parkland. The City also has 26 acres of land maintained by its Parks stafh, in additfon to more than 101 miles of pathways. More than 50% of the initfal PROS survey respondents said they use McCall ’s trails, outdoor spaces, and public dock system. One out of three said that lack of access via bike or sidewalk routes was a barrier to partfcipated or utflizing the City’s parks. While much of the PROS Plan is focused on future development of park space, there were inputs related to upgrading existfng parks for better access to everyone, even if the subject of the comments were not specific to ADA compliance. A major topic is the future of Riverfront Park, which is currently in a relatfvely primitfve state with no paved access routes for pedestrians. The future of this Park will dictate which upgrades are made for ADA compliance purposes. Other City Plans. Other plans adopted by McCall contain additfonal themes related to accessibility, and vary greatly. The following plans directly and indirectly support themes for providing accessible facilitfes, infrastructure, and programs: • Downtown Master Plan (2013) • Downtown Core Feasibility Study (2017) • McCall Housing Strategy (2018) • Civic Campus Master Plan (2019) • Public Art Plan (2021) • McCall Area Local Housing Actfon Plan (2022) Community Health Needs Assessment St. Luke’s completed a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for the McCall area in 2022. The CHNA is intended to help St. Luke’s understand the most significant health challenges facing people in the McCall area. The physical environment, specifically accessible modes of transportatfon, is identffied as one of four significant health needs in McCall. St. Luke’s notes in the 2022 CHNA: “Communitfes that work to develop easily accessible, reliable, and varied forms of transportatfon, including safe optfons for walking and biking, help boost both physical and mental health of community members as well as reduce air pollutfon...Ensuring access to safe, healthy, and afhordable transportatfon for all people promotes an increase in health equity by increasing access to healthier food optfons, medical care, vital services, and employment.” 19 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 3. Input from the People of McCall A requirement for Transitfon Plans is that public entftfes like the City of McCall provide an opportunity for people with disabilitfes and other interested individuals or organizatfons to review and comment on the Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan. Recognizing the challenges in providing outreach to people with disabilitfes in a small city like McCall, the Access McCall efhort utflized a multf-pronged approach to gathering this input. Figure 3-1 summariz- es the difherent methods used to gather such input. This comprehensive approach included traditfonal public meetfngs (listening sessions) and online surveys to gather input. Additfonal opportunitfes for input were provided through citfzens who serve on the City’s boards and committees (Figure 3 -3 on page 15), as well as outreach to individual stakeholders. The City promoted the survey and listening sessions through its Facebook and Instagram accounts (Figure 3-2, next page). These posts were shared by other City departments who have individual social media accounts, including the Police Department, Library, and Parks and Recreatfon. The first round of input occurred from August to October 2022 to gather informatfon and input on prioritfes and identfficatfon of specific barriers people are experiencing from both a public facilitfes and infrastructure standpoint, as well as with any City-led programs. In all, a total of 25 individuals provided input via the online survey and listening sessions. There was outreach to six individual McCall -area organizatfons who work with or represent people with disabilitfes. Opportunities for Input Listening Sessions: Listening sessions on October 6 and 7, 2022, provided three opportunitfes for people interested in the Plan to talk with the project’s consultants about their own experience with access in and around McCall. Online Survey: The online survey was live beginning in August 2022 through the October listening sessions. 20 people completed the survey and those who provided their email address were provided additfonal announcements on the plan’s progress throughout the efhort. Promotion through Social Media Outlets: The City’s Communicatfons Department promoted the online survey and listening sessions through its social media channels. Presentation to McCall Boards & Committees: An overview of the Access McCall plan goals and process was provided on the publicly-notfced agendas for six of the City’s Boards and Committees, including City Council. Stakeholder Outreach: Organizatfons who have a specific interest or unique perspectfve on the needs of people with disabilitfes were identffied by the City stafh and consultant and provided opportunitfes for one-on-one interviews to provide input on the plan. Adoption: Partfcipants who provided their email address were specifically notfced about the adoptfon and com- ment allowed during the Council meetfng. Adoptfon of the Plan was also promoted on the City’s social media outlets and website. Figure 3-1 Public Input Opportunities for Access McCall 20 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Figure 3-2: Instagram & Facebook Posts for Online Survey & Listening Sessions Incorporating Input into Recommendations. The input gained from the outreach is used in combinatfon with the detailed data collectfon of facilitfes, along with interviews with City departments to develop the prioritfes contained in Chapter 7:Transitfon Plan and Chapter 9: Schedule & Implementatfon Steps. It was important to involve the end users in the Access McCall process to generate prioritfes and solutfons in order to ensure the best use of resources in making McCall more accessible. This input is also critfcal in ensuring the recommendatfons in Access McCall are defensible in the event of any legal claims arising from how the City implements the Plan. This is because a primary purpose of the Transitfon Plan component of Access McCall is identffying prioritfes and a schedule to address those prioritfes. High priority projects, identffied through the combinatfon of input and technical analysis, are likely to be addressed first while lower prioritfes may take longer to correct. These are reflected in the Schedule on page 67 and any project that received specific public input was provided additfonal points in the project ranking methodology, shown on page 50. For example, if the City is subject to a complaint regarding a public restroom with inaccessible features the City has yet to address, the reasons for it not being made accessible are not due to a failure to recognize it as a need. Rather, that partfcular restroom may not have been identffied as a top priority through the input and technical analysis due a variety of documented factors. The City may wish, as a result of a complaint, to move that restroom up in its priority to address an individual ’s need, which is very much in the spirit of ADA. 21 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Summary of Input Three methods of collectfng input on ADA issues were used for the public input process for Access McCall. The first was a series of presentatfons to the City ’s various boards and committees. The purpose of these presentatfons was to gather feedback and provide background informatfon on the plan. These presentatfons are listed in Figure 3-2. The second method for collectfng input was through a public survey. The intent was to give members of the public the opportunity to partfcipate in the process, share their concerns and mobility challenges, and to afhord them an outlet to specifically identffy problem buildings, corridors, or public facilitfes. To this end, a survey campaign was launched in July of 2022 and concluded in October. The survey was available through social media outlets including the City’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, as well as through announcements via emailed newsletters. Twenty-one (21) people replied to the survey in total. Of the 21, 60% identffied as full -tfme residents, 30% part-tfme residents, 23% identffied having a disability, and 41% identffied as being without a disability, but concerned about the topic. The survey was administered using several key topic areas: Public buildings, larger public parks and lake- front, neighborhood and specialty parks, pathways, trails, sidewalks and street crossings, programs, in- formatfon, and general city policies. The third method was a series of listening sessions, both in -person and through Zoom, to allow individu- als to have focused conversatfons with the project team about their concerns. The in -person sessions were held October 6 and 7 in a meetfng room at the McCall Transit Center. Five (5) people partfcipated in these forums. Individual comments are shown in Figure 3-3 on the next page. Public Buildings & Streets The most popular subject among project partfcipants involved the ADA facilitfes either missing, or in need, at public facilitfes and buildings. Most of the comments included the identfficatfon of park sites or popular public locatfons. The most common reason for citfng such locatfons was the difficulty of accessing the sites for wheelchair users due to missing sidewalk segments, lack of ramp access, and stairways where those providing input felt they were too steep or unsteady for those able to walk needing assistance. Additfonal comments were made regarding the need for pushbuttons to open bathroom doors, lack of accessible parking stalls, and icy surfaces during winter months. Commonly listed facilitfes included: • Rotary Park; • Davis Beach; • City Library; • Golf Course; • Gold Glove Park; Boards & Committees The following City Boards and Committees received a presentatfon on ACCESS McCall on the dates noted for each. All presentatfons were publicly-notfced as part of the agenda. • Planning & Zoning Commission, September 6, 2022 • City Council, October 6, 2022 & December 16, 2022 Work Session • Golf Course Advisory Committee, October 12, 2022 • Library Board of Trustees, September 12, 2022 • Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, October 19, 2022 • Redevelopment Agency Board, August 16, 2022 Figure 3-2 List of Presentations to McCall Boards & Committees 22 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment • Riverfront Park; • Art Roberts Park; • Lakefront Fishing Dock; and • Brown Park. The second most popular topic among partfcipants was the identfficatfon of needed sidewalk segments under City control and pathways on the McCall system. Key locatfons like the air- port, Historical Museum, and Wildhorse Park were identffied as lacking and thus needing sidewalks. Among McCall streets, Davis Avenue, Lick Creek Road, and Deinhard Lane, were most popular as needing facilitfes and on both sides of the street. While sidewalk and path- way gaps are not the emphasis of the Access McCall Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan rec- ommendatfons, the City should consider contfnue with projects to expand the sidewalk and pathway network on major streets, as well as working with ITD on SH -55 upgrades. Existfng City-led projects specifically mentfoned in the survey were the Davis and Lick Creek pathway projects. Public Facilities & Buildings • Gold Glove Park is difficult for wheelchair users • Riverfront Park is not wheelchair accessible, dirt path difficult • Rotary Park ramps fall short of the beach • Golf Course clubhouse access difficult and parking lot icy and unsafe during winter • Davis Beach stairs are difficult for those unstable walking • Lakefront Fishing Dock/Pier is difficult to access in wheelchair • Library/Park Street stairs are too tall • Art Roberts Park needs additfonal handicapped parking near rink • Disc Golf Course/Nature Area is not wheelchair accessible • Handicapped parking spot near Brown Park is sought • More pushbuttons for bathroom doors Public ROW & Pathways • Middle School to downtown needs a sidewalk • Widths that accommodate a recumbent bike are needed on pathways • Historical Museum needs sidewalks • Airport needs sidewalks • Lick Creek needs sidewalks or pathways • Davis Road needs pathway • Wildhorse Park/Thompson Ave is limited with no sidewalks Policy & Programs • ADA requirements are not being imposed on remodels rendering many restaurants and buildings around town entfrely inaccessible to wheelchair users • Shaded side of streets need more attentfon during winter days • More designated on-street ADA parking is needed Private Businesses & State Routes • A sidewalk from downtown to Rotary Park is needed (SH-55) • Sidewalk is needed from downtown to Shore Lodge (SH-55) • Sidewalk is needed from Growlers to Ridley’s (SH-55) • Lake/3rd Street needs sidewalks throughout (SH-55) Figure 3-3 Individual Comments in Public Survey 23 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Programs & Policies Few comments were provided regarding McCall policies or programs. This can be interpreted as either an endorsement of how the City is conductfng business related to ADA issues, or a lack of familiarity among the public with the policies governing ADA. Of the few comments that were made, winter maintenance in heavily shaded locatfons, availability of ADA parking, and rebuilding of private buildings to align with ADA when remodeling or reuse permissions are granted, were suggested. As the interviews of City departments found, the City ’s methods to provide access and auxiliary aids to people with disabilitfes were found to be aligned with ADA requirements and accommodatfng of the individual needs of people with disabilitfes. Private Businesses & State Routes Lastly, no specific private business was mentfoned of the public comments. The only comment made governing private businesses was included in policy consideratfons for the City. As it pertains to the ITD’s route, State Highway 55 (SH-55), comments were numerous and consistent. Many survey partfcipants specifically listed two segments of roadway currently under management of ITD: 3rd Street from Growlers to Deinhard Lane and Lake Street from Rotary Park to where the sidewalk currently ends. As both segments are portfons of the overall SH -55 corridor, they consist of major pedes- trian access routes to downtown, commercial and retail hubs, and the primary artery for the movement of pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists, as well as regional freight movements despite the existence of the alternatfve truck route. 24 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 4. Self Assessment—Programs & Policies McCall’s programs and policies were subject to a review by the Plan ’s consultants to determine the degree to which they comply with ADA and how they may be modified to improve accessibility. Ensuring programs and policies do not result in a denial of access to people with disabilitfes requires consideratfon of how someone can perform tasks, such as readily obtaining informatfon the City ’s website, has equal access to City programs, and knows where to find informatfon on how to file a complaint or grievance if they feel they were denied access. Non-Discrimination & Grievance Policies The City of McCall has addressed requirements of ADA for developing a formal grievance procedure and related non-discriminatfon policies to provide expectatfons to the public on the City ’s commitment to providing equal access to people with disabilitfes. Two adopted resolutfons—Non-Discriminatfon Policy and Efhectfve Community Policy—address these commitments. Additfonally, the City adopted a Grievance Procedure via resolutfon to outline how the City will address ADA-related complaints. PDF copies of these policies are accessed via the City’s website at: https://www.mccall.id.us/ADA504. Non-discrimination Policy (Resolution 21-07). This policy, approved by the Mayor and Council in Febru- ary 2021, states the “City of McCall will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilitfes on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or actfvitfes.” The policy defines additfonal measures by which the City will ensure it does not discriminate. These sectfons address: Figure 4-1: City’s Website for the Americans with Disabilities Act 25 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment • Employment; • Efhectfve communicatfon; • Modificatfons to policies and procedures; • A statement on people requiring auxiliary aid or service for efhectfve communicatfon providing at least 48 hours notfce before a scheduled event to allow the City tfme to accommodate requests; • Informatfon on where to file a complaint; • A commitment to not place a surcharge on those with a disability to cover the cost of providing auxiliary services; and • A commitment to provide informatfon in a format accessible to people with disabilitfes and people with limited English proficiency. Effective Communication Policy (Resolution 20-27). This policy, approved by the Mayor and Council in November 2020, states the City’s commitment to “ensure that applicants, partfcipants, and members of the general public who have disabilitfes are provided communicatfon access that is as equally efhectfve as that provided to people without disabilitfes.” It specifies: • Efhectfve communicatfon will be achieved through the use of auxiliary aids and services upon re- quest of a qualified person with a disability. • In choosing equipment or services, the individual requestfng the service will first be asked what type of communicatfon aid or service is the most efhectfve. • If the individual's request cannot be granted, every reasonable efhort will be made to find other services or equipment that will be equally efhectfve. • If for some reason efhectfve communicatfon as requested by the individual cannot be provided, the City outlines additfonal steps it will take to provide appropriate accommodatfons. Grievance Procedure (Resolution 20-26). The City’s website includes informatfon on the grievance procedure and a link to both online and PDF forms for someone to use in filing a complaint. The City ’s website also includes contact informatfon for the ADA/Title VI Coordinator. The City states on its website: • “Any individual who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of disability, in the provision of services, actfvitfes, programs, or benefits by the City of McCall can file a grievance in accordance with the grievance procedures below or contact the City's ADA/Sectfon 504 Coordinator.” The Grievance Procedure clearly outlines tfmelines and expectatfons for the City to investfgate the grievance and notffy other appropriate agencies, such as ITD. Additfonally, the policy contains informatfon for people on other complaint procedures that may be carried out through DOJ, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Architectural and Transportatfon Barriers Compliance Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Figure 4-2: Grievance Resolution, No. 20-26 26 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Department Interviews The following City Departments were interviewed to gain an understanding of how they respond to requests from people with disabilitfes and how they would respond to a situatfon where someone with a disability required additfonal accommodatfons to access a City program or facility. • John Powell, Building Dept, September 19, 2022 • Emily Hart, Airport, September 20, 2022 • Dallas Palmer, Police, September 20, 2022 • Nathan Stuart, Public Works, September 20, 2022 (in-the-field work zone discussion) • Kurt Wolf, Parks & Recreation, September 21, 2022 • Erin Greaves, Communications, October 6, 2022. • BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk & ADA Coordinator, November 25, 2022 • Anette Spickard, City Manager, December 16, 2022. Figure 4-3 List of Interviews with City Departments Programs The assessment of how well the City’s programs guard against discriminatfon was conducted via interviews with several department leaders (see Figure 4 -3). The goal of the interviews was to determine how the various departments understand the methods by which accommodatfons are to be made in the event of a special request from an individual or in the implementatfon of a program. Programs may rep- resent several City efhorts, such as a reading program at the Library, a public presentatfon at the airport, and the City’s management of constructfon zones that impact pedestrian routes. The City’s Police Department may encounter an individual whose disability may require them make special accommodatfons. For example, if a person is brought in for questfoning on a case, the Police Department may have to make special accommodatfons if areas of the police statfon that are not normally accessed by the public are not ADA compliant. This may include scheduling a difherent meetfng site or assistfng that individual in reaching the room where the interview takes place. Another example could be a person with a hearing disability requestfng a sign language interpreter so they can partfcipate in a City presentatfon. How would a City department handle that request? The interviews ranged from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the degree to which a department may have interactfon with individuals who require specific programs are made accessible. Program -specific recommendatfons are contained in Chapter 7: Transitfon Plan and focus on making contfnued upgrades to the City’s websites and public documents, as well as compiling informatfon and auxiliary aids for people who request accommodatfons for their disabilitfes to partfcipate in City programs. City Code The City’s Code represents the laws of the City of McCall. The City Code was reviewed to identffy ways in which it can be amended to better address the needs of people with disabilitfes. It was also reviewed to identffy specific sectfons of the City Code that could be clarifying to ensure the applicatfon of them doesn’t inadvertently result in discriminatfon or the appearance of discriminatfon. The City’s policies that regulate land development are a key component of City Code that can help the City transitfon its infrastructure and facilitfes into compliance, as well as provide more concise requirement of new development to ensure access to private businesses is achieved. For example, requiring a new development to build new sidewalks or upgrade non -compliant sidewalks on the property’s street frontage is a reasonable expectatfon of new development. It helps the City address gaps and non-compliant features of the public right -of-way. Policies related to those types of upgrades should ensure new development is part of the solutfon and does not place the financial burden on the people of McCall whose access is improved with upgrades along a new development’s street frontage. Figure 4-4 (next page) includes various policy sectfons that may be considered for amendment as the City moves forward with other policy changes. Note these recommendatfons are made strictly through the lens of improving accessibility and may be adjusted in the final adoptfon to incorporate or consider other City needs not specifically related to ADA compliance or accessibility. 27 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Policy Section Policy Recommendation 3.2.02 Meaning of Terms Add definitfon for "disability" and “person with a disability.” 3.4.07 Commercial Zone Design Standards (C.1/2-Pedestrian Scale) In the Commercial Design Standards sectfon, it refers to many treatments of a building for the purpose of pedestrian appeal. Add language regarding accessibility needs. 3.5.07 Public Improvements for Industrial Zone 3.5.07 Section (B) Sectfon discusses crosswalks and the permitted use of precast pavers. This may be less than ideal given the likelihood of frost heaving and uneven surfaces. 3.08.06 (D) Parking Provisions, Driveways, Loading Areas Add reference to ADA parking requirements. 3.8.061 (E) Parking and Internal Circulation Development Standards Permitted surfaces vary, recommend mentfoning ADA compliant surface types. 3.8.061 (F) Parking and Internal Circulation Development Standards Under internal circulatfon, pedestrian circulatfon can be stronger if ADA language such as "less that 2% cross slope" or by permitting a jogged driveway crossing design. 3.8.064 Driveways, (C) Driveway design Jogged driveway crossing designs are not included; recommend adding. 3.8.16: OTHER REQUIREMENTS: (B) Sidewalks, Curb & Gutter Sidewalks/pathways are required but if costs are deemed disproportfonate, may be waived. This suggests a Fee-In-Lieu of program is necessary as a backstop to help City fill gaps on sidewalks on high priority corridors. 3.16.02: APPLICABILITY (A) Nothing explicitly states Design Review should look at ADA access. This may be subject to other parts of the City. Should this be part of their review? 3.21.010 Introduction (a) Purpose While not required, adding language to the descriptfon of projects to include curb ramps, ADA compliant sidewalks, or other ADA related facilitfes is suggested. 3.21.010 Introduction (c) General The list of projects describe numerous improvements and are related to ADA facilitfes, but do not explicitly state so. This is recommended as not only a recognitfon of their need, but also to remind the public of its focus. 8.2.2 Obstructing Public Ways- Street Furniture Include real estate signs and discuss why obstructfng sidewalks is hazardous for the populatfon with a disability. Figure 4-4: Recommended Changes to the City Code of McCall 28 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Policy Section Policy Recommendation 8.2.4 Landscaping Sectfon discusses plantfng landscaping IN the public ROW but not adjacent to ROW. Suggest adding language about landscaping and maintaining landscaping adjacent to public ROW that may block passage. 8.2.9 Building Construction (A) Permit Required Sectfon states nothing is permitted to block a sidewalk during constructfon/alteratfons. Suggestfon would be to cross reference this sectfon with the MUTCD. 8.2.10 Barriers to be Erected This sectfon needs strength and to reflect MUCTD. Sectfon should state that when a sidewalk is blocked due to constructfon, a reasonable temporary alternatfve route shall be provided. A statement about adding a red light seems dated. 8.2.12 Utility Poles Language does not specify that poles are not to be placed in public right-of-way as to obstruct movement. While highly unlikely, recommend explicitly statfng such. 8-5-010 Maintenance of Sidewalks Recommend under sectfon B, City explicitly state what obligatfons for snow removal belong to the City to demonstrate the overall commitment of snow removal . Under (C) sectfon should cross reference public right-of-way (Access Board) requirements for walkways to include 1/4" and 1/2" provisions. 8.14.4 Public Parks and Prohibited Uses (B) Motorized vehicle sectfon states scooter are not permitted on anything except designated roadways. While likely this is a remnant from gas powered scooters, it could pertain to electric power chairs often described as "scooters." Recommend amending the language to distfnguish the two and to permit electric wheelchairs or power chairs to access all public park spaces. 8.15.1 McCall Golf Course While jogging is permitted and walking the course from Nov 15-May 15 is expressly permitted, it should be noted that power chairs and wheelchairs are permitted on the cart paths or course as agreed upon. 9.1.02 Subdivision and Development (H) Under 2. Nonvehicular circulatfon, add the word "and accessible" after "provide safe..." Figure 4-4, continued: Recommended Changes to the City Code of McCall 29 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Policy Section Policy Recommendation 9.3.02 Blocks: (A-F) This sectfon could be bolstered to discuss possible marked crossings, using a limited block length of 300 feet for purposes of accessibility. 9.3.04 Streets 5. Half Streets This policy is unclear as to if a half street is built, are sidewalks required at tfme of the constructfon of the half street, or if they are added once the other half is completed. 9.3.08 Snow Storage and Drainage Easements (C) Owner responsibility is made clear. Municipal responsibility is not made clear. Recommend modifying expectatfons to require property owners are required to remove the natural snow that falls on sidewalks, thus clarifying that snow that may be plowed onto sidewalks from the adjacent street is not a property owner responsibility. 9.3.103 Parks: Required Improvements (A-B) Neither of the descriptfons of what is required include any ADA accessible features such as pathways, accessible tables, etc. BUT, (A) under Standards, does call out ADA access as being compulsory. Recommend tying two sectfons together. 9.3.107 In-Lieu Contributions This sectfon allows a fee in lieu of space for parks and is a model for sidewalks if necessary. 9.4.10 Mobile Homes, Mobile Home Parks, Site Requirements/RV Parks Sectfons recommended to address ADA as many patrons and residents will likely utflize the sites who are experiencing a disability. Under 8. Central Facilitfes, flush toilets are recommended but nothing specifically states they are to be ADA compliant. 9.6.02 Subdivisions and Development Improvements Requirements 7. Street Design Numerous documents are cited for street design; recommend citfng ADA Standards and PROWAG. 9.6.02 Subdivisions and Development Improvements Requirements 7. (N) Landscaping Sectfon specifies the role of the HOA for landscaping. Recommend language that specifies landscaping responsibilitfes fall to adjacent property should the HOA cease to exist or become inactfve. 9.6.03 Driveways, Residential (A) 1. states that driveway landings be permitted to 6% grade. This would exceed a 2% cross slope for pedestrians if the driveway was also part of a sidewalk. 9.6.08: MAINTENANCE DURING CONSTRUCTION: Under sectfon (J) Fencing, sectfon mentfons safety for pedestrians, and "inappropriate pedestrian traffic." This can be strengthened with language discussing the safety of people with disabilitfes. Figure 4-4, continued: Recommended Changes to the City Code of McCall 30 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 5. Self Assessment: Public Buildings & Facilities The Self Assessment (or Self Evaluatfon, as referred to in Federal law) phase for public buildings and facilitfes resulted in a cataloging of ADA compliance features within primary functfon areas and other public-access areas of the facilitfes identffied in Figure 5-1. Any area where people carry out one or more major actfvitfes for which a facility is used is considered to be a “primary functfon area” under ADA. The data collected on the various features of public buildings with the US Department of Justfce’s 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which became mandatory on March 15, 2012. The cataloging of conditfons occurred during the summer of 2022 by a team of two people using various measurement tools and smart phone applicatfons to develop an inventory of these facilitfes. Approximately 300 person hours of work were dedicated to this cataloging of facilitfes. The requirements under the ADA Standards are to be applied during the design, constructfon, additfons to, and alteratfon of sites, facilitfes, buildings, and other elements subject to public and employee access. Any newly-constructed facility must be ADA compliant when constructed. For existfng facilitfes, ADA requirements relate to the alteratfons of facilitfes that occur via an additfon to a building, the rebuilding of features such as exterior parking lots and access routes, and remodeling or restoratfon of interior features of the building. DOJ states that alteratfons that afhect or could afhect the usability of or access to an area containing a primary functfon shall be made compliant, to the maximum extent feasible. This includes upgrades to the path of travel to the altered area, including the restrooms, Public Facilities Evaluated Public Buildings Airport, 336 Deinhard Lane, Unit 100/101 Boat Ramp & Dock (at Legacy Park), 1120 E. Lake Street City Hall, 216 E. Park Street Central Idaho History Museum, 1001 State Street Community/Senior Center Golf Course, 925 Fairway Drive Library, 218 E. Park Street Policy Station (leased facility), 550 E. Deinhard Lane Public Works Building, 815 N. Sampson Trail Primary Parks Art Roberts Park, 327 E. Lake Street Brown Park, 1500 E. Lake Street Gold Glove Park/Sports Complex, 720 Fairway Drive Harshman Skate Park, 128 Idaho Street Legacy Park, 1120 E. Lake Street Rotary Park, 1120 E. Lake Street Other Parks Centennial Plaza, 905 N. 3rd Street Veteran’s Memorial Park, 900 N. 3rd Street Disc Golf Course Natural Area Riverfront Park, 610 S. Mission Street Roosevelt Pocket Park, Railroad Street Wildhorse Park, 708 Thompson Ave Figure 5-1: Public Facilities Evaluated for Self Assessment Phase 31 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area, to ensure they are readily -accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilitfes. This applies unless such alteratfons are disproportfonate to the overall alteratfons in terms of cost and scope (20% cap, explained later). Actfons such as routfne maintenance do not constftute an alteratfon, thus do not trip the requirements to address the accessibility of a primary functfon area, although an agency may opt to address some features if determined to have value to the overall project. Primary Function Areas The focus of upgrading public buildings and facilitfes to comply with ADA is what is called the Primary Functfon Area (PFA, see Figure 5-2). This is to allow the Transitfon Plan and corresponding schedule to focus on public access areas rather than employee -only areas. The magnitude of costs to make every feature of every building compliant would exceed the City’s financial abilitfes over the next 20 years. The PFA is an area of a building or facility containing a major public actfvity for which the building or facility is intended. Within the PFA, ADA defines the following priority order for making upgrades: • Priority 1: Approach & Entrance: Parking, exterior route, curb ramps, building ramps, entrance. • Priority 2: Access to Goods & Services: Interior access routes and ramps, elevators, signs, doors, room and spaces, service counters. • Priority 3: Toilet Rooms: Accessible route, signs, entrance, sinks, lavatory, soap dispensers & hand dryers, stalls. • Priority 4: Additional Access: Drinking fountains, public telephones, fire alarm systems. This is how the City should prioritfze building and facility upgrades when making alteratfons to a facility. A recent example of this is the exterior upgrades to the Community/Senior Center, which addressed Priority 1: Approach & Entrance features of the facility. The City should be prepared to respond to accessibility requests from individuals with disabilitfes in facilitfes and buildings in low priority PFAs that are not likely to be subject to substantfal upgrades in the near-term. This can occur through providing auxiliary services and could result in a specific facility upgrade if the individual(s) making the request frequent the PFA on a regular basis. The City should be prepared to respond to any individual requests of employees to upgrade or make appropriate accommodatfons if there is a need identffied in an employee area of a building. This could include upgrading a work space or restroom to accommodate the individual ’s needs. Alterations Alteratfons are defined in ADA Standards as “a change in a building or facility that afhects or could afhect the usability of a building or facility or portfon thereof.” This applies to all areas of a building, including employee-only areas. Many types of projects are covered as “alteratfons,” including remodeling, renovatfon, rehabilitatfon, reconstructfon, restoratfon, resurfacing of circulatfon paths or vehicular ways, and changes or rearrangement of structural parts, elements, or walls. Normal maintenance, reroofing, Figure 5-2: Primary Function Areas Images: United States Access Board 32 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment paintfng or wallpapering, or changes to mechanical and electrical systems are not considered alteratfons unless they afhect a facility’s usability. For example, a project limited to an HVAC system that includes the additfon of thermostats would afhect a facility’s usability because it involves elements covered by the standards (thermostats are operable parts). If alteratfons are limited only to elements in a room or space, then the standards apply only to the elements altered. If a room or space is completely altered (or built new as part of an alteratfon), the entfre room or space is fully subject to the standards. Compliance is required to the extent that it is technically feasible. Technically Infeasible. Compliance in an alteratfon is not required where it is deemed “technically infea- sible” by a design professional. Technically infeasible is defined by DOJ as “something that has little likeli- hood of being accomplished because existfng structural conditfons would require removing or altering a load-bearing member that is an essentfal part of the structural frame; or because other existfng physical or site constraints prohibit modificatfon or additfon of elements, spaces, or features that are in full and strict compliance with the minimum requirements.” Where technical infeasibility is encountered, compliance is stfll required to the maximum extent technically feasible. It is crucial for the City to document, in detail, how this determinatfon is made and what elements are not compliant due to technical infeasibility. This documentatfon should accompany all project files in the event of a future grievance filed on non-compliant features of the facility. By doing so, the City shows that it was not negligent in designing a non-compliant feature; rather the design that was applied was done so with care and attentfon to maximize its compliance. An Accessibility Exceptions Certification Form was developed through the Access McCall Plan efhort for the City to use in these situatfons. It is included in Chapter 10: Appendix. Other examples defined under ADA where compliance could potentfally be technically infeasible include: • Meetfng slope requirements on existfng developed sites located on steep terrain where necessary re-grading and other design solutfons are not feasible; • Conflicts with applicable building, plumbing, life safety or other codes (such as when combining two toilet stalls to create an accessible stall would violate the plumbing code’s required fixture count); or • Work that would impact load-bearing walls and other essentfal components of the structural frame, including structural reinforcement of the floor slab. 20% Cost Cap for Disproportionality. The accessible path of travel is required to the extent that it is not “disproportfonate” to the total cost. ADA standards define disproportfonate as exceeding 20% of the total cost of alteratfons to the primary functfon area. The 20% cap applies only to costs associated with the accessible path of travel, including an accessible route to the PFA from site arrival points, entrances, and retrofits to restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains. Compliance is required up to the point the 20% cost cap is reached, even where it does not result in a It may be technically infeasible in an alteration to enlarge a rest room confined in size by things such as structural supports, elevator shafts, mechanical rooms and chases, stairways, or required egress routes not affected by the project. In this case, the restroom must be sized and other requirements, including those for plumbed fixtures, must be met to the maximum extent technically feasible. However, the concept of technical infeasibility remains relative to the planned scope of work. If the entire building is significantly renovated or gutted, constraints of this type would likely not exist. Image: United States Access Board Figure 5-3: Alterations & Technical Infeasibility 33 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment fully accessible path of travel. Where costs exceed this cap, compliance is prioritfzed in this order: • Accessible entrance; • Accessible route to the primary functfon area; • Restroom access; • Accessible telephone; • Accessible drinking fountain; and • Access to other elements such as parking and storage. Historic Buildings Requirements The ADA standards contain specific provisions for qualified historic facilitfes, such as the Central Idaho Historical Museum. Qualified historic facilitfes are defined as buildings or facilitfes that are “listed in or eligible for listfng in the Natfonal Register of Historic Places or designated as historic under an appropriate state or local law.” Alteratfons to qualified historic facilitfes must comply with sectfon 202.5 to the maximum extent feasible. If it is not feasible to provide physical access to an historic property in a manner that will not threaten or destroy the historic significance of the building or facility, alternatfve methods of access are permitted by DOJ’s ADA Standards. Like other existfng facilitfes, the requirements for alteratfons apply in relatfon to the scope of work. Alteratfons provisions and exceptfons, including those based on technical infeasibility, and requirements for path of travel to primary functfon areas, apply to historic facilitfes with exceptfons for circumstances where compliance with the standards would threaten or destroy the historic integrity or significance of a facility as determined by the appropriate State Historic Preservatfon Official or Advisory Council on Historic Preservatfon. These exceptfons apply to requirements for accessible routes via ADA Standards Sectfon 206.2; entrances via ADA Standards 206.4; and toilet rooms via ADA Standards 213.2. Parks & Recreation Facilities A wide variety of ADA requirements apply to parks and recreatfon facilitfes. These include features such as play areas, play surfaces, and a variety of sports facilitfes. In terms of prioritfes, the same PFA concepts should be applied with regard to the public accessing a park from sidewalks or parking spaces to the park’s features like playgrounds, picnic tables, and sports fields. Play Areas. ADA play area requirements apply to all newly designed or constructed play areas for children ages 2 and older. This includes play areas located in a public parks and public gathering areas. All newly constructed play areas must comply with ADA. Alteratfons provide an opportunity to improve access to existfng play areas. Where play components are altered and the ground surface is not, the ground surface does not have to comply with the standards for accessible surfaces unless the cost of providing an accessible surface is less than 20 percent of the cost of the alteratfons to the play components. Figure 5-4: Exceptions for Historic Facilities Image: United States Access Board 34 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment If the entfre ground surface of an existfng play area is replaced, then the new ground surface must provide an accessible route to connect the required number and types of play components. Normal maintenance actfvitfes such as replacing worn ropes or topping ofh ground surfaces are not considered alteratfons. If the entfre ground surface of an existfng play area is replaced, the new ground surface must provide an accessible route to connect the required number and types of play components. If play components are relocated in an existfng play area to create safe use zones, the standards do not apply, provided the ground surface is not changed or extended for more than one use zone. Replacing the entfre ground surface does not require additfonal play components. Play Surfaces. The accessibility standards are minimum standards and do not require the entfre play surface area to be accessible. The only required accessible surface area includes the accessible route from the entry of the play area, at least one connectfon to each accessible play component (points of entry and egress) and any clear space requirements adjacent to accessible play components. Children’s play behavior indicates they spontaneously move throughout the play equipment, navigatfng on their own preferred routes. Designing the entfre use zone as a congruent accessible route is recommended as a best practfce to accommodate the free play behavior of all children navigatfng the play space. No single type of surface material/system is found through extensive research to be the most accessible surface or better than others when comparing its ability to meet the accessibility standards with related to installatfon and maintenance. Sport Activities. An “area of sport actfvity” is a broad term intended to cover a diverse number of indoor and outdoor sports fields and areas. The “area of sport actfvity” is “that portfon of a room or space where the play or practfce of a sport occurs.” This includes, but is not limited to basketball courts, baseball fields, running tracks, soccer fields, and skatfng rinks. For example, football fields are defined by boundary lines. In additfon, a safety border is provided around the field. Players may temporarily be in the space between the boundary lines and the safety border when they are pushed out of bounds or momentum carries them forward when receiving a pass. So in football, that space is used as part of the game and is included in the area of sport actfvity. Accessible routes must connect each area of sport actfvity. Areas of sport actfvitfes must comply with all ADA Standards requirements, except that they are exempt from the requirement that surfaces must be stable, firm, and slip resistant, and from the restrictfons on carpets, gratfng, and changes in level. They are also exempt from restrictfons on protruding objects. These provisions are not required inside of the area of sport actfvity since they may afhect the fundamental nature of the sport or actfvity. For example, an accessible route is required to connect to the boundary of a soccer field, but there is no requirement to change the surface of a field to be accessible. Figure 5-5: Accessible Route Connecting Various Elements of a Park Image: United States Access Board 35 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Where light fixtures or gates are provided as part of a court sport or other area of sport actfvity, they must comply with ADA Standards provisions for controls and operatfng mechanisms, and for gates and doors. Bus Shelters & Stops McCall has six (6) bus shelters along routes it funds through Treasure Valley Transit, with several bus stops along these routes. These shelters are a common design and were funded through American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The Self Assessment examined these shelters for compliance. Transit shelters shall provide a minimum clear space of 4-feet by 4-feet within the shelter to provide space for people with disabilitfes to dwell while waitfng for the bus. Where seatfng is provided within transit shelters, the clear space shall be located either at one end of a seat or shall not overlap the area from the front edge of the seat. Other requirements, such as cross slopes for access areas and protruding objects apply. Bus stops have fewer requirements than shelters because there are no other facilitfes associated with the stop other than sidewalks and ramps that are part of the public right -of-way. Summary of Buildings & Facilities The following pages contain tables that summarize the findings of the Self Assessment of public buildings and facilitfes. The summary informatfon contains the results of the findings on the four priority areas for PFAs, with a qualitatfve measure of the level of upgrade needed to bring these features into compliance. It is this evaluatfon that feeds the priority list of improvements contained in the Transitfon Plan and Schedule chapters of Access McCall. The Self Assessment of these facilitfes includes a detailed database with individual facility reports for public buildings, with a separate report for each of the four PFA priority areas. An example of one of these reports is shown in Figure 5-5. These reports are on-file with the City of McCall, in additfon to a GIS database that reflects the Self Assessment’s detailed technical evaluatfon. The City may use these reports as the startfng point for project specific design, recognizing that changes to facilitfes may occur as they age or adjustments are made to PFAs, such as changes to a restroom stall. Outdoor access routes are subject to a greater degree of change over tfme due to weather. Note: Individual facility compliance reports and the associated upgrades assessment in Figure 5-7 are not intended to be scoping documents. They are for planning and prioritizing purposes only as part of the Transition Plan and Self Assessment. Individual projects must be reviewed, scoped, and engineered through the design process on an alteration project. Legend ● Major Upgrade: Requires notable structural work, including ramps, walkways, and interior modifications. Likely requires a dedicated project. ◐ Minor Upgrade: Requires notable upgrades to fixtures and other features. May be incorporated into annual upgrades ○ No Upgrade Identified ◌ See Note for Special Circumstances Figure 5-5: Sample Facility Compliance Report Figure 5-6: Legend for Buildings & Facilities Degree of Need 36 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Facility Priority 1: Approach & Entrance Priority 2: Access to Goods/Services Priority 3: Toilet Rooms Priority 4: Additional Access Airport 336 Deinhard Lane, Unit 100/101 Overall Priority: Low ◐ Door thresholds ◐ Protruding objects, signage, door clearance & handles ● Toilet placement, clear width, operable parts ○ None Notes: Limited public use. Bathroom upgrades recommended as part of major alteratfon or by individual request. Boat Ramps & Toilet Rooms 1120 E. Lake Street Overall Priority: High ● Dock ramp, pedestrian route crossing ramp, drainage grates, accessible parking ◐ Bench seating in changing rooms ◐ Signage and operable parts (faucets, toilet handles) ◐ Drinking fountain Notes: Upgrade dock ramp slopes & transitfons, modify PAR across boat ramp driveway, upgrade drainage grates for compliance, upgrade accessible parking. Central Idaho History Museum 1001 State Street Overall Priority: High ● Parking space upgrade, replace building ramps, fill in gaps in walkway, resurface walk areas ◌ (Upgrades could impact historic significance.) Protruding objects on interior routes, floor surface, door handle upgrades ◐ Staff configuration (men’s), signage, grab bar modifications ○ None Notes: Exterior access routes from parking to Warden’s House and Garage/Crew Quarters, in additfon to ramps to these buildings, are in need of upgrades. The walk routes between these two buildings is also in need of surface upgrades to meet compliance requirements. Neither these ramps nor upgr ade of the surface should upset the historical significance of the structures. Community/Senior Center 701 1st Street Overall Priority: High ◐ Sidewalk connection from street/ pathway to building access ramp ◐ Protruding objects on interior routes, signage, door thresholds, clear space around controls ◐ Signage, grab bars modifications, dispensers ○ None Notes: Parking lot reconfiguratfon, including accessible parking, completed in fall 2022 after original facility self assessment. Fi ndings above reflect conditfons post- constructfon of the parking lot project to show a future phase need for an access route from the sidewalks and nearby pathway to the facility. Portfons of this may be incorporate into the overall Civil Center Campus project identffied in the Transitfon Plan sectfon. Figure 5-7: Facilities Conditions Summary 37 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Facility Priority 1: Approach & Entrance Priority 2: Access to Goods/Services Priority 3: Toilet Rooms Priority 4: Additional Access City Hall 216 E. Park Street Overall Priority: Medium ◐ Ramp (see notes), door thresholds, handrails, Accessible van space, surface discontinuities ◐ Protruding objects, signage, door clearance & handles, controls, counter space ● Door width, toilet placement, clear space/width, operable parts (see notes) ○ None Notes: Remedy surface discontfnuitfes in exterior access routes (sidewalk heaves) as part of a short-term project; consider combining with area sidewalk maintenance. Ramp needs include handrails, while reconfiguratfon would require substantfal structural alteratfons. City may ofher alternatfve m eetfng space or accommodatfon of individuals curbside or in parking lot if requested due to access needs. Bottom floor restrooms require major structural alteratfon. Upgr ade top floor restrooms to improve accessibility and ensure access is provided to first floor restrooms when bottom floor is open for public use. Golf Course 925 Fairway Drive Overall Priority: Medium ◐ Van parking access aisle, handrail upgrades, signage, door clearance ● Counter height and depth, access to floors other than main floor ● Clear width, handle pressure, sink height, toilet location, signage ○ None Notes: Exterior access route upgrades are planned and designed, with constructfon expected in 2023. Priority and schedule reflect ot her needs. Upgrade accessible van parking space with restriping or resurfacing project. Make other structural upgrades as part of a major alteratfon to the interior ac cess routes and restrooms. If golf course pro shop counter height presents a barrier, ofher auxiliary service to patrons. Consider providing an accessible outdoor portable toil et as short-term optfon for restroom access. Library 218 E. Park Street ◌ See Notes ◌ See Notes ◌ See Notes ◌ See Notes Notes: New facility under constructfon. Future public use of existfng library TBD; evaluate needs with future alteratfons to existfn g library building based on antfcipated use. Police Station (leased facility) 550 E. Deinhard Lane ◐ Van access, access ramp slope, door handle ◐ Protruding objects, counter height ○ None ◐ Public telephone height/ clearance Notes: Inform Valley County of findings. Provide auxiliary services if requested. Public Works Building 815 N. Sampson Trail Overall Priority: Low ● Inaccessible main entrance, van access, door clearance ◐ Access route width, protruding objects, door threshold, signage, door handles ● Clearance widths for doors & fixtures. sink height, operable parts ○ None Notes: Limited public use. Ofher auxiliary services for people who cannot access through main door. Upgrade with major alteratfon pr oject already identffied in CIP. Figure 5-7, continued: Facilities Conditions Summary 38 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Facility Priority 1: Approach & Entrance Priority 2: Access to Goods & Services Priority 3: Toilet Rooms Priority 4: Additional Access Primary Parks Art Roberts Parks 327 E. Lake Street Overall Priority: Low ● Access route to waterfront ○ None ● Toilet placement, clear width, operable parts ○ None Notes: Access route to waterfront has excessive running slope on the grade. Other nearby waterfront facilitfes provide a comparable experience and access. Sign ramp as having excessive slope. Future alteratfons may provide a compliant ramp or alternate route from along waterfront from Legacy Park. Brown Park 1500 E. Lake Street Overall Priority: Medium ○ None ◐ Install accessible picnic table and paved pad ◌ See Notes ◌ See Notes Notes: Upgrade a picnic table to provide for access to a paved pad and compliant table. Priority 3 Toilet Rooms and Priority 4 are s cheduled for upgrades as part of Phase II of park upgrades completed in 2022. Gold Glove Park/Sports Complex 720 Fairway Drive Overall Priority: High ● Route from parking to bleachers, accessible park- ing, accessible playground ○ None ◐ Fixture upgrades, doorway slope ◐ Access route to drinking fountain Notes: Accessible routes needed to seatfng areas, playground, and drinking fountain; can be firm and stable surface other than pavem ent. Consider accessibility upgrades to playground equipment as part of PROS Plan recommendatfons. Harshman Skate Park 128 Idaho Street Overall Priority: Medium ◐ Surface discontinuities, signage height ○ None ◐ Fixture upgrades ○ None Notes: Address surface discontfnuitfes with other maintenance projects. Upgrade toilet room fixtures as part of overall efhort on no n-structural restroom upgrades. Legacy Park 1120 E. Lake Street Overall Priority: High ◐ Address dock access ramp transitions ◌ See Notes ◐ Door thresholds, door pulls, fixture upgrades ○ None Notes: Dock access ramp transitfon can be included in Boat Ramp project identffied in Schedule. Consider a mesh walkway mat to provi de beach access from walkway. Figure 5-7, continued: Facilities Conditions Summary 39 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Facility Notes Other Parks: Parks listed in this table are either alongside existfng sidewalks and ofher only pedestrian access routes or are located in a natural setting with primitfve facilitfes. They are low priority projects due to this status (with the exceptfon of Riverfront Park). Future upgrades to par ks in natural settings should include firm and stable access routes, a comparable experience, and other accessible features related the additfon of restrooms and other facilitfes. Final results of the PROS Plan may determine other upgrade features and priority of constructfng accessible routes. The City should address individual requests for access or auxiliary services in providing access to parks in natural settings. Centennial Plaza 905 N. 3rd Street Install a detectable edge along the base of the 100 -year/Centennial informatfonal placard, as it constftutes a protruding object . Veteran’s Memorial Community Park 900 N. 3rd Street Address surface discontfnuitfes in brick pavers. Disc Golf Course Nature Area There are no ADA requirements that address disc golf in a natural setting. The City may work with local organizatfons to iden tffy and pilot adaptfve equipment that may allow for people who use mobility devices to more easily navigate the natural terrain. Riverfront Park 610 S. Mission Street Upgrade portable toilet to be an accessible portable toilet. Evaluate in the context of PROS Plan recommendatfons to upgrade parking and the accessible route to the bridge to be a firm and stable surface (does not have to be paved). Roosevelt Pocket Park Railroad Street Consider accessible route from Roosevelt/Lenora intersectfon as part of intersectfon upgrades that are part of the public rig ht-of-way improvements. Wildhorse Park 708 Thompson Ave No recommendatfons. Facility Priority 1: Approach & Entrance Priority 2: Access to Goods & Services Priority 3: Toilet Rooms Priority 4: Additional Access Rotary Park 1120 E. Lake Street Overall Priority: Medium ● Needs firm/stable walking surface, accessible playground equipment ○ None ◐ Door thresholds, door pulls, fixture upgrades, surface discontinuities ○ None Notes: Upgrade walking surface and correct surface discontfnuitfes. Upgrade toilet room fixtures as part of overall efhort on non -structural restroom upgrades. Figure 5-7, continued: Facilities Conditions Summary 40 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Facility Notes Bus Shelters: The City maintains six bus shelters that serve the local bus system. There are two identffied needs for minor upgrades for AD A compliant: Correctfng surface discontfnuitfes and either moving or lowering trash bins. 1. Surface discontinuities exist at the transitfon from paved areas to the shelter; most of these transitfons can be fixed by beveling the pavement to create no more than a 1/4-inch change in level. 2. Trash bins are a protruding object due to their height. The leading, bottom edge can be lowered to be less than 27 inches, which makes them cane detectable. Some trash bins that are mounted to the inside area of the shelter restrict access to the area alongside the bench that is a dwelling area for people using a wheelchair and waitfng for the bus. 1 2 Figure 5-7, continued: Facilities Conditions Summary 41 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 6. Self Assessment: Public Rights -of-Way The Self Assessment (or Self Evaluatfon) for public rights -of-way examined sidewalks, curb ramps, driveway crossings, and sidepaths for a variety of factors related to ADA compliance. The data collected for public rights-of-way utflized the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), which is schedule become the federal ADA standards in 2023. PROWAG was used instead of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design to better address with public right-of-way needs and align the Transitfon Plan with PROWAG as it becomes a standard. The City’s design standards reflect the Idaho Standards for Public Works Constructfon (ISPWC), which is largely based on PROWAG guidelines. Like with buildings and facilitfes, the cataloging of conditfons occurred during the summer of 2022. Approximately 100 person hours of work was dedicated to right -of-way data collectfon. McCall’s overall sidewalk and pathway/sidepath system is relatfvely modern when compared to citfes that had sidewalk networks built prior to ADA requirements. As such, overall findings of the public right -of-way Self Assessment indicate the primary needs are sidewalk repair and repaving and curb ramp upgrades for detectable warning surface (truncated dome) placement. Figure 6-1 below shows the various data points where ADA -related sidewalk and sidepath conditfons were evaluated for compliance. The results of this are used to make street -specific sidewalk/sidepath Figure 6-1: Map of Sidewalk & Pathway Features Catalogued for the Self Assessment 42 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment project recommendatfons contained in Chapter 7: Transitfon Plan. The bullets below outline the prioritfes locatfons for where sidewalk and curb ramps upgrades (and potentfally, constructfng of new pedestrian routes) should be consider to identffy priority routes. • Priority 1: Serving areas where a specific accessibility request or need has been identffied by persons with disabilitfes. • Priority 2: Serving facilitfes such as public service facilitfes, transportatfon hubs, hospitals, medical care, schools, public housing, parks, and areas with a high concentratfon of disabled citfzens. • Priority 3: Serving facilitfes such as shopping malls, supermarkets, strip retail centers, major employment sites and multf-housing complexes. • Priority 4: Serving industrial areas, single family residentfal areas, and other areas not classified as high priority. The City has no requests on file from individuals that would indicate any specific street or street corner is a current priority. The City should be prepared to respond to individual requests for ADA compliance upgrades to a sidewalk segment or street corner(s) if an individual with a disability requests it. Sidewalks The data collectfon team catalogued more than 1,100 segments (10 -15 feet in length, each) within McCall’s existfng sidewalk and pathway network (Figure 6 -1). The vast majority are compliant in their existfng conditfons, with only 23% of the data points catalogued in some need of alteratfon to bring them into compliance. Figure 6-2 shows the breakdown of each non-compliant sidewalk feature. These data points are used to map where these various conditfons exist, then combined to identffy Sidewalks Tallies 1,100 Sidewalk segments in inventory 115 Segments w/notable cross slope 87 Vertfcal surface discontfnuitfes 33 Segments w/poor surface conditfon 18 Driveway Crossing Upgrades 8 Vertfcal obstructfon (ie. tree branch) 5 Priority Sidewalk segments in City right-of- way (approximately 1,200 linear feet) Figure 6-2: Summary of Key Sidewalk Findings Sidewalk surface conditions are greatly impacted by McCall’s climate, resulting in deterioration of sidewalk surface and emergence of cracks and heaves. NOTE: The Self Assessment process resulted in specific measurements on non-compliant features. This does not mean projects were designed or constructed incorrectly; rather most conditions are the result of climate impacts and having to retrofit old streets with new sidewalks. 43 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment approximately 2,500 linear feet of sidewalk in need of repair, half of which is within ITD’s SH-55 right-of- way. Most non-compliant features relate to surface conditfons brought about by the area ’s winter cli- mate. Curb Ramps Due to the modern design of McCall’s sidewalks, there are no missing curb ramps at street corners; rather the features identffied through the Self Assessment efhort for curb ramps relate primarily to features such as cross slopes, running slopes, landing slopes, and detectable warning placement. Figure 6-3 shows general findings on the conditfons of the 75 curb ramps that are adjacent to sidewalks in McCall (pathway ramps are addressed in the next sectfon). While some of these features are identffied as non-compliant when measured, features such as ramp cross slopes, landing slopes, and running slopes likely resulted from engineering decisions that had to incorporate many design variables. For example, making features 100% compliant may not always be attainable when retrofitting older streets with new sidewalks and attemptfng to apply ADA requirements to transitfons from the street to the curb ramp to the sidewalk. These transitfons Curb Ramp Tallies 75 Total Curb Ramps 38 Ramps lacking 4’x4’ flat landing 31 Cross slope > 2% 21 Detectable Warning Surface upgrade 16 Running slope > 8.3% 2 < 4 width 13 Priority for Detectable Warning Surface upgrades within City right-of -way (~$30,000 to 40,000) Figure 6-3: Summary of Key Curb Ramp Needs Figure 6-4: Map of Sidewalk Curb Ramps Catalogued for the Self Assessment 44 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment oftentfmes require tradeofhs to reach a design that complies with ADA to the maximum extent feasible. Because of these factors, the curb ramps identffied in Chapter 7: Transitfon Plan relate to upgrading ramps to replace Detectable Warning Surfaces (aka truncated domes). Pathways & Crossings McCall’s paved pathway system consists primarily of shared use pathways of approximately 10 feet in width built alongside existfng roadways. These are commonly referred to as sidepaths and are subject to ADA requirements that apply to sidewalks and connectfng ramps. Features such as pathway surface conditfon, cross slope, running slope, and crossings were evaluated. The City’s longest sidepath segment is along Deinhard Lane and Spring Mountain Boulevard, connectfng SH-55 to Lick Creek Road via nearly 3 miles of pathway. The other primary segments of pathway are along the old railroad right-of-way from downtown to the airport and Mission Street. Other segments exist near the high school and along Davis and Wooley, as well as along Warren Wagon Road. Pathway Crossings. Places where McCall’s pathway system crosses streets or other vehicular areas (parking lots, trailheads) means these crossings are to have ADA compliant features like those of curb ramps that connect to sidewalks. Design guidance also suggests that pathway ramp width matches the width of the pathway itself so the bidirectfonal traffic that shared use pathways are designed to accommodate can also occur through the ramp and street crossing. There are 85 total curb ramps Figure 6-4: Map of Core Area Pathways and Pathway Ramps Catalogued for the Self Assessment Pathway crossings of streets require detectable warnings and other curb ramps features. 45 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment (generally two per street crossing) that are candidates for these upgrades; 14 of those are along Deinhard Lane, east of SH -55, where the City is already planning to make those upgrades as part of an existfng CIP project. The lack of a Detectable Warning Surface is the primary feature needed at these crossings. Some may require more substantfal work to be completed to have curb ramp slopes and landing areas that are also compliant. The degree to which these changes are made should be determined when projects are scoped as part of the design process in order to determine the degree to which features such as cross slopes or running slopes are correctable versus those features that result from having to incorporate multfple design consideratfons to maximize compliance when factors may preclude full compliance. Other Features: Driveways, Push Buttons, State Highway 55 Driveways. There are 78 driveway crossings of sidewalks and sidepaths catalogued for the Self Assessment, with 10 identffied as candidates for upgrade. Sidewalks or sidepaths that cross driveways should be considered a pedestrian route first and a driveway second, which means features such as cross slope of a minimum width Pedestrian Access Route (PAR) is required. Curb ramps that lead to driveway crossings should be designed with the same compliant features as other curb ramps. Push buttons. Pedestrian push buttons require a person using the sidewalk to access the button in or- der to get a “WALK” signal. If these features are inaccessible to people with disabilitfes, then they may not be able to obtain legal permission to cross the street. The only pedestrian pushbuttons in McCall are on SH-55 at Deinhard and Mission Street. None of the push buttons are considered Accessible Pedestri- an Signals (APS), which provide audio and vibro-tactfle indicators to people with vision disabilitfes. These are the responsibility of ITD. The City may request ITD upgrade them or have the City reimbursed by ITD for City-led projects that upgrade them for compliance. APS is recommended with any upgrades. State Highway 55. This route through McCall is under the jurisdictfon of ITD. Thirteen (13) of the ramps catalogued and showing a potentfal need for replacement are within ITD’s right of way. The City may pursue an ITD grant to upgrade them or work with ITD to identffy other methods of upgrading them to comply with ADA. The only pedestrian push buttons in McCall are at signalized intersections along SH-55. None comply with ADA requirements due to lack of an accessible route to them (top image) or push button heights being too low or poorly configured in relation to curb ramps (right image). Because these are on the ITD system, the City is not obligated to bring them into compliance but may request ITD to make them compliant. Sidewalks that cross driveways are subject to PAR width and cross slope requirements. Sidewalks with a buffer from the street, like shown at left, are recommended in order to maintain maximum compliance. Sidewalks that lack buffers require different design considerations to allow motorist to transition from the street to the driveway while maintaining PAR and cross slopes that comply with ADA. 46 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 7. Transition Plan The Transitfon Plan component of Access McCall is developed using the informatfon obtained in the Self Assessment phase and public input. This included the review of programs and policies, and analysis of the data collected for public facilitfes and buildings, as well as public rights -of-way. Transitfon Plans are required by law to include the list of physical barriers that limit the accessibility of programs, actfvitfes, or services in McCall, as well as methods to remove the barriers and make the facilitfes accessible. With that, a Schedule to complete the work or transitfon public facilitfes and infrastructure to be compliant is also required along with identffying the name of the official(s) responsible for the Plan’s implementatfon. It is included in Chapter 9: Schedule & Implementatfon Steps. List of Physical Barriers. The Self Assessment sectfons of this document constftute the primary listfng of physical barriers that limit accessibility to programs, actfvitfes, and services in McCall. The City of McCall has detailed PDF reports and a GIS database for each facility that was subject to analysis under the Self Assessment phase. These reports should be used as a startfng point for design on future projects. Methods to Remove Barriers & Make Facilities Accessible. This Transitfon Plan chapter identffies the method by which programs and policies are recommended to be updated to provide for compliance and maximize opportunitfes for people with disabilitfes. This allows them equal access to programs, actfvitfes, and services ofhered by the City. Following that is identfficatfon of public facilitfes and infrastructure projects prioritfzed for transitfoning to compliance through the Self Assessment and public input. Schedule. The final sectfon of this chapter provides a schedule for the 10 years following adoptfon of Access McCall. It includes identffying program and policy changes that are recommended to occur in 2023 and 2024, as well as establishing a dedicated annual budget goal of $50,000 for priority upgrades specifically identffied in the Transitfon Plan. The detailed schedule is included in Chapter 9. Documenting Schedule Changes. It is not reasonable to expect the Schedule identffied as part of the Transitfon Plan be strictly adhered to on a year-to-year basis. Economy, weather, project bidding, and locatfon can impact how the City of McCall will be able to accomplish the recommended schedule of program, policy, and project-specific upgrades. A key factor in the implementatfon schedule of projects is the availability of contractors and the quality of bids the City receives for these projects. McCall’s locatfon makes it more challenging for contractors to mobilize people and other resources for projects, which oftentfmes results in a delay in project implementatfon while the City rebids a project. The scale of project also impacts the bidding of projects as contractors are less likely to bid on projects with smaller budgets. The important step to take each year is to update the schedule and document why things changed by incorporatfng that into the Annual Progress Report as a formal amendment to the Schedule. By doing this, the City limits its legal exposure if someone were to file a grievance challenging the City ’s delay of a project or its inability to meet the Schedule’s recommendatfons. Responding to individual requests is the top priority for ADA implementation. The City should work to find solutions to induvial requests for accessibility improvements, even when a project is not identified as a top priority in Access McCall. The spirit of this was applied in the construction of a temporary ramp along the Deinhard Lane pathway. 47 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Programs & Policies Non-Discrimination & Grievance Policies. The City of McCall has addressed requirements of ADA for developing a formal grievance procedure and related non-discriminatfon policies to provide expectatfons to the public on the City’s commitment to providing equal access to people with disabilitfes. Two adopted resolutfons—Non-Discriminatfon Policy and Efhectfve Community Policy— address these commitments. Additfonally, the City adopted a Grievance Procedure via resolutfon to outline how the City will address ADA-related complaints. PDF copies of these policies are accessed via the City’s website at: https://www.mccall.id.us/ADA504. • Recommendation: Upgrade the Non-Discriminatfon Policy upon adoptfon of Access McCall to reference the new Transitfon Plan. Information & Communications. The City is working on upgrades to its website to provide better informatfon and access to everyone accessing the site. Part of this upgrade includes an updated website platiorm that aligns with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) that identffy access needs for people with disabilitfes. The City has incorporated closed captfoning into its online meetfngs. Additfonally, the City is working to streamline processes across City departments to provide consistent content as it pertains to accessibility features such as alt-text on images and accessible documents. • Recommendations: Complete website upgrades, then work with an organizatfon such as Idaho Access Project to review it for any inconsistencies. Incorporate language on alt-text and other accessibility features into contracts where consultants or other firms are documents on behalf of the City. Conduct a training of stafh on making public documents accessible, including features such as alt-text, creatfng accessible hyperlinks, and using appropriate font format and color. Annual Implementation Fund. The findings of the Self Assessment and identfficatfon of prioritfes to transitfon the City’s facilitfes and infrastructure to compliance will benefit from an annual budget allocatfon for priority projects identffied in the Schedule. This annual budget amount should be considered an annual goal, recognizing that two or more years of the allocatfon may be combined into a single year due to project scopes that eclipse the $50,000 mark or other factors such as challenges in the bidding of projects. Expenditures from this fund should be limited to those identffied as high priority, recognizing that the City may find opportunitfes to upgrade lower priority facilitfes or infrastructure if it is determined it would align with a high priority investment. • Recommendation: Dedicated $50,000 from the City’s general fund, beginning in fiscal year 2024. Programs. The assessment of how well the City’s programs guard against discriminatfon was conducted via interviews with several City of McCall stafh, primarily department leaders. Programs may represent several City efhorts, such as a reading program at the Library, a public presentatfon at the airport, and the City’s management of constructfon zones that impact sidewalks. The City ’s Police Department may encounter an individual whose disability may require them make special accommodatfons. McCall has made substantial upgrades to public facilities and already ensures that access to many public facilities, including restrooms and pathways, remain accessible during winter. 48 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment In general, the City’s department leaders are knowledgeable about accessibility needs of people wishing to access various programs. A key tenet of this is providing for individual accommodatfon, especially when people address the needs for auxiliary accommodatfons to access a meetfng, a library program, or attend a special event. City sidewalk programs are addressed in the public right -of-way sectfon. • Recommendations: Purchase two wheelchairs for the City to use to respond to requests for accessibility. Compile a list of sign language (ASL) interpreters who can serve the needs of people with hearing disabilitfes; with that, have a laptop computer available for an interpreter to join remotely if the City is not able to secure someone to provide these services onsite. City Code & Engineering Standards. The City Code and Engineering Standards were reviewed to identffy ways in which it can be amended to better address the needs of people with disabilitfes. It was also reviewed to identffy specific sectfons of the Code and Standards that could be clarifying to ensure the applicatfon of them does not inadvertently result in discriminatfon or the appearance of discriminatfon. Policies that regulate land development are a key component of City Code that can help the City transitfon its infrastructure and facilitfes into compliance, as well as provide more concise requirement of new development to ensure access to private businesses is achieved. A detailed table of policy recommendatfons is included in Chapter 4: Self Assessment —Programs & Policies. • Code Recommendations: Consider policy changes identffied in Chapter 4. Clarify other elements of City Code to specify what may or may not occur with regard to allowing access to, or improving safety, for people with disabilitfes. • Standards Recommendations: The consultant made several minor recommendatfons for the City to modifying existfng standard drawings, as well as developing (in coordinatfon with statewide efhorts) a standard drawing for curb ramps at shared use pathways. The City is working on incorporatfng those into its own standards, as well as considering coordinatfon with the developers of the Idaho Standards for Public Works Constructfon (ISPWC) to modify or create standard drawings for shared use pathways, which would benefit all of Idaho. Construction Zones & Snow Management. The City of McCall, as part of the Access McCall efhort, already began updatfng contract language to ensure that contractors working in public rights -of-way comply with ADA requirements in work zones. These requirements are contained in Sectfon 6 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The City budgets for snow removal on most sidewalks and pathways to ensure consistency in the applicatfon of these techniques and provide for maximum accessibility in the challenging winter environment of McCall. Elsewhere, the City relies on property owners to clear sidewalks and ramps of snow. The City may contfnue funding snow management on all pedestrian routes. As the sidewalk and pathway system expands, the City may consider identffying priority routes for snow clearing if the system’s size and funding availability do not allow for clearing of every route. Snow management and associated policies, as well management of work zones that affect pedestrian movements on public sidewalks and pathways are, by definition, City programs that can influence accessibility. 49 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Documenting Exceptions. Achieving full compliance with ADA is not always possible given the potentfal for environmental and budgetary constraints to arise as projects are designed and constructed. The important step to take in ensuring projects are designed to be compliant to the maximum extent feasible is documentfng why an design exceptfon was applied. Figure 7-1 is an Accessibility Exceptfon Certfficatfons form contained in Chapter 10: Appendix. This form serves an important role in documentfng design features that may not be compliant and what decisions led to a design exceptfon being made. The City can help shield itself from claims related to non -compliance in the future if such exceptfons are well-documented and justffied. For example, if upgrading a restroom to achieve full compliance during the renovatfon of an existfng building is determined infeasible due to structural constraints, designers should document what led to a decision being made to make the restroom compliant to the maximum extent feasible. By documentfng such exceptfons, the City shows it was not negligent or ignorant in a design decision that did not result in full compliance; rather the decision with made with reason and justffiable intent. Use of the Accessibility Exceptfons Certfficatfon form should be viewed as a last resort when it comes to compliant design. It should not be used to justffy non-compliance when other comparable design alternatfves are available and within the confines of the 20% budget maximum for things like building renovatfons. Transition Plan Training. The City and the consultants who led the Access McCall efhort planned and budgeted for a one-day training to occur following adoptfon of the Plan. This training will outline the requirements of ADA and link them to the findings of the Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan. Attendees are antfcipated to be key City stafh, the City’s on-call consultants, and other area stakeholders, contractors, and organizatfons that may have an interest in assistfng the City in implementfng the Plan. The training is scheduled to occur in spring 2023. Annual Progress Report. The City should compile an annual summary of the previous year ’s progress in making McCall more accessible. Not only does the annual report showcase the City ’s commitment to the public, but it also serves as a way to document changes to the implementatfon schedule. The Annual Report should include a summary of actfons taken to modify or modernize policies and programs, as well as any City-specific projects that addressed accessibility needs. The City Council should review and adopt the report. The report may reflect either fiscal year or calendar year progress, as determined by the City This should include an estfmate of the cost incurred by the City in terms of both human and financial resources to take these actfons. In some cases, only a percentage of a project like a park upgrade will be accessibility-related. In those instances the City should compile a generalized estfmate of the accessibility-specific improvement. For public rights-of-way, the City should compile a list of curb ramp, sidewalk, and pathway upgrades that occurred through both City -led projects and by development/ redevelopment or other private property owners actfons along public streets. Figure 7-1: Accessibility Exceptions Certification Form 50 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Identifying Priority Projects The inventories of public buildings/facilitfes and public rights-of-way were narrowed down to a list of priority projects (or grouping of projects for curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades). These were identffied through technical data, public input, and the consultant team ’s analysis of project needs, public use, and project locatfon. Figure 7-2 shows the selectfon of nine (9) projects identffied for consideratfon as priori- tfes for McCall to aim to implement in the 20 years after adoptfon of Access McCall. Accompanying each project is a total project score that was used to determine priority tfer. To the right of the Total Score are the six (6) criteria used to compile this score. Each project was scored through qualitatfve evaluatfon, based on a maximum number of points per project. These scores reflect: • Technical Need: Level of identffied needs based on field inventory. • Public Input: Degree to which project (or project type) was specifically mentfoned via public input. • Proximity to Primary Public Buildings: Project’s locatfon relatfve to high priority public access. • Proximity to Public Parks: Project’s locatfon relatfve to existfng, high use public parks. • Proximity to Other Key Destinations: Project’s locatfon relatfve to grocery stores, schools, other public gathering areas not considered public buildings/facilitfes; and • Ease of Implementation: Complexity of project and how easily funding is attainable to implement. Priority Tier Project Total Score Technical Need (max 20 pts) Public Input (max 20 pts) Proximity to Primary Public Buildings (max 20 pts) Proximity to Public Parks (max 10 pts) Proximity to Other Key Destinations (max 10 pts) Ease of Implementation (max 20 pts) Civic Center Campus Upgrades 70 20 15 20 5 5 5 Boat Ramp & Restrooms Upgrades 70 15 20 5 10 5 15 Gold Glove Park, Access Route 70 20 20 5 10 0 15 Historical Museum Upgrades 58 15 0 15 10 3 15 Sidewalk Upgrades, Phase I 55 5 0 15 5 10 20 Curb Ramp Upgrades 52 5 0 15 7 10 15 Sidewalk Upgrades, Phase II 44 5 0 5 7 7 20 Sidepath Ramp Upgrades, Phase I 29 15 0 5 1 3 5 Sidepath Ramp Upgrades, Phase II 29 15 0 5 1 3 5 1 2 3 Figure 7-2: Project Priorities 51 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment The results of the project ranking are incorporated into the Transitfon Plan schedule in Chapter 9, with Tier 1 projects considered highest priority, followed by Tier 2 and Tier 3. In total, there are four public buildings/facilitfes (including one City park), with three of them identffied in Tier 1 and one in Tier 2. There are five (5) projects that comprise a grouping of curb ramps, sidewalk segments, and sidepath ramps. Sidewalk and sidepath projects are divided into two phases to account for budget constraints that may be present during a year in which that project is chosen for implementatfon. These prioritfes provide the City with the foundatfon for how to proceed in upgrading existfng facilitfes, recognizing that new buildings, curb ramps, and sidewalks will also be constructed to improve access to other areas of McCall. The overall prioritfes are subject to change as project schedules, funding sources, and other intangibles influence implementatfon feasibility. Public Buildings & Facilities Priorities The four priority buildings and facilitfes are profiled in more details on the following pages, including: • Civic Campus Access Upgrades: A parking lot and walkway constructfon project in the area located behind City Hall, the Library, the Transit Center, and Community/Senior Center. This project will improve access to these buildings from new accessible parking spaces, as well as nearby sidewalks and pathways. • Boat Ramp & Toilet Rooms: Upgrades to the ramps are already being pursued by the City. Adding access route and toilet room upgrades to that project would address needs for this locatfon. • Brown Park Access Routes: Constructfng paved or firm/stable surface routes between the accessible parking area, restrooms, ballfield viewing areas, and the playground are recommended. • Central Idaho Historical Museum: Upgrades to the ramps and pedestrian access routes to and around the two main buildings on the museum campus are recommended. ADA Features Repair Program for Public Buildings/Facilities. Beyond building-specific upgrades, there are several, relatfvely low cost accessibility needs identffied in other public buildings/facilitfes. These include upgrades to restroom features, parking spaces, and bus shelters. The City is recommended to combine these upgrades as part of an annual program where either City stafh make the upgrades (e.g. restroom grab bars, door knob replacement, restroom soap/paper dispensers) to several facility or the annual implementatfon fund is used for a larger package of upgrades. Already-Programmed Projects. The City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes other buildings/ facilitfes upgrades that will greatly improve access but were not identffied as high prioritfes in the Access McCall efhort. Since they were already programmed through the CIP, they do not have a priority tfer or specific schedule in Access McCall. For public buildings/facilitfes these include: • Brown Park Restrooms ($125,000, 2024): Phase II of park upgrades that occurred in 2022. • Golf Course Access Ramp ($70,000; 2023): Reconstructfon of ramp and stairs to clubhouse. • Public Works Facilities Improvements ($2.5m, 2021 -2025): Addresses building ingress/egress for ADA, and other internal ADA needs, as part of the building’s remodel. Access to public boating facilities is a unique feature of McCall. Accessibility needs on boat docks relate primarily to width and maneuverability for people who use mobility devices, as well as transitions from ramps to docks that are subject to repeated movement as the water shifts beneath them. 52 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Priorities Upgrade Note 1. Approach & Entrance ● Upgrade dock ramp slopes & transitfons, modify PAR across boat ramp driveway, upgrade drainage grates for compliance, upgrade accessible parking. 2. Access to Goods/Services ◐ Upgrade bench seat in changing room. 3. Toilet Rooms ◐ Signage, excess pressure required to use sinks/toilets 4. Additional Access ◐ Drinking fountain modificatfons. Figure 7-4 Buildings/Facilities Priority Project Boat Ramp & Toilet Rooms The City has obtained a grant from Idaho Parks and Recreatfon to make substantfal upgrades to the boat ramp area, including upgrades to the docks to improve access. Additfonal improvements include upgrading the Pedestrian Access Route (PAR) for the link between the sidewalk and walking lane on Lake Street. This includes modifying the drainage grates, if they remain in the PAR, to an accessible design that allows people who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices to safely pass over them or avoid them. Additfonal minor upgrades are needed to the restroom facilitfes and changing room at the facility’s parking lot. Estimate Cost: $40,000 to $60,000 (in addition to planned $220,000 upgrade) Figure 7-3 Buildings/Facilities Priority Project Civic Campus Access Upgrades Contfnuing to upgrade the Civic Campus between Park Street and the pathway is the top public building/ facility priority identffied in the Transitfon Plan (outlined in yellow). In 2022, the City made parking lot upgrades around the Senior/ Community and is underway on constructfng the new Library. The remainder of the Civic Campus would benefit from accessibility upgrades to provide improved parking for people with disabilitfes; transit access on the parking lot side of the transit center; a pedestrian access route around the northern periphery of the parking area; a pedestrian route connectfon to the pathway; and sidewalks along 1st Street (planned as part of a separate city project). In totality, these upgrades would help maximize access to this hub of public facilitfes, as well as the programs and services in these buildings. Estimated Cost: $250,000 (new estimate pending with City-led design) 53 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Priorities Upgrade Note 1. Approach & Entrance ● Access route from parking area to ballfield viewing are- as, picnic tables, and playground; consider accessible playground equipment. 2. Access to Goods/Services ○ None identffied. 3. Toilet Rooms ◐ Fixture upgrade. Evaluate doorway slope. 4. Additional Access ◐ Access route to drinking fountain. Figure 7-5 Buildings/Facilities Priority Project Gold Glove Park Access Routes The City made recent upgrades to accessibility features for parking and restroom access. This project is recommended to extend the access routes from the already-paved areas around the restrooms to the viewing areas around the ballfields, as well as to the playground, drinking fountain, and picnic areas. While these upgrades do not require a paved surface, if the City chooses a natural surface access route then it must be made of a firm and stable surface and maintained in that conditfon. Minor upgrades were identffied for the restrooms, primarily to fixtures (PSI required to operate faucet in both restrooms; sink height in men’s restroom, grab bars in men’s restroom). Estimated Cost: $30,000 to $50,000 Priorities Upgrade Note 1. Approach & Entrance ● Parking space upgrade, replace building ramps, fill in gaps in walkway, resurface walk areas. 2. Access to Goods/Services ◌ (Upgrades could impact historical significance.) Protruding objects on interior routes, floor surface, door handle up- grades. 3. Toilet Rooms ◐ Stall upgrade(men’s), signage, grab bar modificatfons. 4. Additional Access ○ None identffied. Figure 7-6 Buildings/Facilities Priority Project Central Idaho Historical Museum Upgrades to historical facilitfes are challenging. ADA requires comparable access to first floor spaces but does not require upgrades that impact the historical nature of the facility. Design should be done in a way that maximizes the experience people with disabilitfes. Priority 1– Approach and Entrance needs include improved designatfon of accessible parking, upgrades to ramps that access buildings to include a firm and stable surface (Fire Warden’s and Bunkhouse), and filling discontfnuitfes in walkways around the site, including paving between the Warden and Bunkhouse buildings. More substantfal upgrades are needed to provide an accessible toilet room for men. Any improvements deemed to upset historical significance, therefore not subject to compliance upgrades, should be documented as project is designed. Estimated Cost: $50,000 to $70,000 54 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Public Rights-of-way Priorities The prioritfes for public rights-of-way are organized into three difherent project categories—curb ramps, sidewalks, and sidepath ramps/crossings —to reflect the three distfnct types of infrastructure upgrades to make existfng facilitfes accessible. The Transitfon Plan Schedule in Chapter 9 divides sidewalk and sidepath categories into two phases apiece, recognizing that if the City applies the recommended annual Transitfon Plan implementatfon fund of $50,000, it would take approximately two years of funding for each category of the curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades. Priority Curb Ramp Upgrades. Of the 75 existfng curb ramps, 12 of these in City right-of-way are considered high priority and shown in purple the map in Figure 7 -7. These ramps were identffied based on the need for upgraded Detectable Warning Surfaces (DWS). It was determined that, while other ramps had features that were technically non-compliant (e.g. cross slope), these were likely the result of engineering decisions made when they were constructed to tfe ramp transitfons from the street to the ramp itself, to the ramp landing, and to the sidewalk. The realitfes of retrofitting older streets with these features means fully compliance is rarely possible when it comes to making all ramp feature align with one another. When the City proceeds with a project to upgrade DWS, it should determine if features such as ramp cross slope or running slope can be remedied to be more compliant given factors in the nature and built environments. Priority Sidewalk Upgrades. Figure 7-8 identffies nearly 2,500 linear feet of side- walks along seven difherent street segments that are candidates for repair or re- building; 1,200 feet in City right-of-way. The non-compliant features on these segments are primarily surface conditfon or surface discontfnuitfes. Some have sidewalk cross slopes that are in excess of 2%. Like with the ramps, final sidewalk upgrade needs must be determined when the project is scoped as a constructfon tfmeline is known. Sidepath Ramps/Crossings. Pathway crossings require upgrades, primarily DWS, to be compliant. There are 85 total curb ramps (generally two per street crossing) that need upgrades; 14 of those are along Deinhard Lane, east of SH -55, where the City is already planning improvements. While the overall priority in the Tran- sitfon Plan suggests these would not be subject to upgrades prior to 2035, adja- cent street resurfacing and other pathway upgrades provide opportunitfes to upgrade these ramps as such projects occur. The City may identffy pathway cross- ings in close proximity to other high priority ramp projects and consider adding them to the project if budget and tfmeline allow. Figure 7-7 Public Right-of-Way Priority Projects Priority Curb Ramp Upgrades Ramps in City Right-of-way Ramps in ITD Right-of-way The map shows 12 curb ramps in City right-of-way that are in need of upgrades to Detectable Warning Surfaces (DWS). They are grouped as a single Tier 2 Priority to address the ramps that have DWS needs. The City may group ramps difherently if it is determined that their locatfons are in close proximity or there are other factors that would make their upgrade more economical to combine with other projects. Several of the priority ramps have features that should be evaluated at the tfme of design for full rebuild based on how correctable other features such as cross slope, running slope, and landing slope are in consideratfon of other street configuratfons. 55 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Figure 7-9 Public Right-of-Way Priority Projects Sidepath Ramp/Crossing Upgrades Figure 7-8 Public Right-of-Way Priority Projects Sidewalk Upgrades Five (5) sidewalk segments in City right-of-way have surface conditfons that indicate a need to resurface or rebuild them. They may be combined with ramp projects or others projects if similar work is being done nearby. The City is recommended to determine how it will proceed for these and other sidewalk repairs, as current City Code requires property owners to pay for sidewalk maintenance. This may change if the City determines to use its own Transitfon Plan Implementatfon Fund for these sidewalk segments or establish a funding mechanism to address these and other sidewalk needs. The priority segments in City right-of-way are shown in the map below: 1. 1st St, Lake St to Park St- West and east side, alternatfng sides, 300 LF 2. Lake St, 3rd St to Marina - South side and west side, alternatfng sides 550 LF. 3. Mill Rd, Pine St to Fir St - East side, 350 LF Pathway Crossing Ramp Upgrades 33 Spring Mountain/Lick Creek 16 Deinhard (2 west of SH-55)* 13 Streets around High School 11 Lenora/Wooley/Davis 6 Warren Wagon 5 Middle/Elem School 4 Pathway from Park to 1st 2 Mission, south of Deinhard Sidepath ramps are most in need of detectable warning surfaces where they cross streets or driveways that have curb returns like those of streets. Given these are lower in priority, they are not divided into priority tfers at this stage. The City is reconstructfng several of the ramps along Deinhard. Ramps located near other high priority curb ramp or sidewalk projects may be constructed with those improvements, if budget and constructfon tfmelines allow. Future upgrades should be prioritfzed based on the overall use of the pathway, as well as its proximity to other major pathway trip generators such as downtown, the lakefront, parks, and other pathway linkages. Sidewalks in City Right-of-way Sidewalks in ITD Right-of-way 56 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Programming Improvements. The City should not feel confined to the specific ramps or sidewalk segments identffied in the various phases of the Schedule on page 61. The Schedule is there as a startfng point and does not serve as a scoping document. Therefore, if the City is doing substantfal street work in one area of town and it is advantageous to add a selectfon of high priority ramps or sidewalk segments to that separate street project to maximize poten- tfal bids and achieve economies of scale, then the City should pursue it. By doing so, the City is stfll showing progress in transitfoning its system to compliance and doing so in a way that best serves the taxpayers of McCall. Sidepath ramps and crossings may require more substantfal funding, however, these are listed as Tier 3 prioritfes and may not be subject to upgrades untfl after 2035. By that tfme, some ramps may have already been replaced due to adjacent street resurfacing or through other projects. Conditfons may also change substantfally on these corridors over that tfme frame due to new development, winter weather, and other factors. The City may find grant opportunitfes that could lead to a packaging of ramp and sidewalk projects, partfcularly on routes like the pathway system. A unique funding opportunity is a justffiable reason to move projects up in the Schedule, potentfally ahead of other priority projects. The City should not feel compelled to pass on a funding opportunity for a certain type of project just because there is a higher priority. If the City encounters these or other circumstances that cause projects to leapfrog others or be delayed, it is necessary to explain such changes in the Annual Progress Report, updatfng the Schedule accordingly. Street Resurfacing & Low Priority Improvements. Curb ramps are required by federal law to be upgraded to meet current ADA requirements when a street is subject to a major alteratfon. Alteratfons of streets, roads, or highways include actfvitfes such as reconstructfon, rehabilitatfon, resurfacing, widening, and projects of similar scale and efhect. Maintenance actfvitfes on streets, roads, or highways, such as filling potholes, crackseals, and chipseals, are not alteratfons. This does not require that the resurfacing and curb ramp work be done as part of the same contract. Some agencies choose to design and bid resurfacing and adjacent curb ramp repairs as two separate projects since one requires substantfal asphalt work while the other requires substantfal concrete work. If the City chooses to decouple these projects to maximizing bidding and cost opportunitfes, it should document how this was done. Constructfon should be as concurrent as possible. The City is likely to resurface streets adjacent to ramps that are not identffied as a priority but may have non-compliant features. The Transitfon Plan Implementatfon Fund for curb ramp upgrades should not be applied to such ramps that are upgraded as a result of resurfacing unless they are part of the priority list of ramps. The Annual Progress Report should identffy the locatfons and cost of non-priority ramps that are upgraded as part of resurfacing projects as this also shows the City is transitfoning its system to McCall’s pathway network serves both pedestrians and bicyclists along major traffic routes, with expansion planned on routes like Davis Avenue (above). Expansion of this system to fill gaps along existing streets was identified through public input and technical analysis as a higher priority for accessibility to the people of McCall than retrofitting or rebuilding sidewalks and curb ramps. 57 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment compliance. Although not required, the City may consider upgrading adjacent sidewalk segments and non-compliant driveways as part of resurfacing projects. New Sidewalk & Pathway Segments. The public input for Access McCall revealed a desire to expand the sidewalk and pathway network to make new connectfons. Sidewalks on SH -55 were also mentfoned frequently in the public feedback. Any new segments provide even greater accessibility to McCall’s residents and visitors and they serve corridors that are also subject to higher volumes of motor vehicle traffic. The City has several projects identffied in its CIP to expand the pathway network. These include: • Davis Ave Pathway, Wooley to Ponderosa State Park; • Mission Street Pathway, Deinhard Lane to City Limits; • Lick Creek Road Pathway, Davis Ave to Spring Mountain Road; and • Wooley Separated Pathway, Davis Ave to Denali Court. While there are no existfng facilitfes along these segments to assess for ADA compliance, each segment will functfon as a type of sidewalk given it is adjacent to a roadway. Therefore, features such as cross slopes, curb ramps, running slopes, and detectable warnings should comply with ADA when constructed unless there are documented reasons related to technical infeasibility. The City is also likely to have its sidewalk network expanded as new development occurs along streets and developers are required to construct (or reconstruct) sidewalks on their frontage. Any new constructfon should comply with ADA, to the maximum extent feasible, and the City should require existfng sidewalks, driveways, and ramps be reconstructed to be compliant once built. Any development -led project that does not fully comply with ADA should be required to document the reasons why the facility is built to the maximum extent feasible for compliance. All additfons to the sidewalk and pathway network should be identffied, with cost estfmates, in the Annual Progress Report to show the City’s contfnued commitment to making its streets more accessible. State Highway 55 Curb Ramps and Sidewalks. Several curb ramps and sidewalk segments within ITD’s right-of-way along SH-55 were identffied. The City may inform ITD of these findings and request they be incorporated into ITD’s own Transitfon Plan and future projects. These are show in the priority maps in Figures 7-7 and 7-8 as an indicator of their locatfon in relatfon to ramps and sidewalk segments in City right-of-way. Expansion of McCall’s sidewalk network will occur through both City-led projects and private development, like those shown above on Forest Street. These development-led additions to the system should be tracked with an estimated value to incorporate into the City’s Annual Progress Report on Transition Plan implementation. 58 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 8. Other Strategies to Improve Access This chapter includes other strategies for the City of McCall to consider in making the City more accessible, not just within City-owned buildings and facilitfes and City-managed rights-of-way. Some of these strategies are intended to ensure the City’s future investments are ADA-compliant when constructed so they do not create an additfonal, unnecessary backlog of upgrades that would be subject to future Self Assessment and Transitfon Plan findings. Other strategies include ideas for expanding the system of accessible sidewalks and pathways, including those along ITD’s State Highway 55. Contracts Contracts for professional design services, constructfon, and constructfon engineering/inspectfon should be reviewed to identffy how the City’s expectatfons for ADA compliance during constructfon and when a project is complete are clear. Clarifying these topics in contract language also helps shield the City from liability stemming from non-compliant outcomes that could occur from these design and constructfon actfvitfes. While no strategy can fully absolve the City of liability from a public works contract setting, stfpulatfng that private firms and contractors are responsible for providing ADA -compliant outcomes provides the City with an enforcement mechanism when issues are identffying or if the City is subject to a future claim. Taking this step is even more crucial for a small city like McCall where the City lacks the resources to have ADA-specific designers and inspectors among the City stafh. It’s also important for contracts that involve things like work zone traffic control for pedestrians when sidewalks are impacted. Contractors that conduct this work are oftentfmes working as subcontractors to the prime contractor and have personnel who oftentfmes come from the Boise area or other regions. This means they may not be on-site on a regular basis to ensure ADA requirements are adhered to. While the City may discover these or its contract-based constructfon engineer may identffy them, traffic control contractors may not be slated to be on-site for several days or weeks. Contract language establishing expectatfons and responsibilitfes for review and inspectfon of projects, as well as correctfon of issues, will provide a better response to things like constructfon zone issues. Leases The City of McCall currently has a lease with Valley County for the City ’s police statfon. The facility was found to have ADA compliance needs that require more than relocatfng things like public telephones or furniture. It is important for the City to identffy ADA compliance needs in facilitfes it is leasing and deter- mine if a programmatfc response is adequate to address the situatfon (e.g. providing auxiliary services, as requested) or if more substantfal upgrades are needed. Identffying these up-front as part of a lease agreement can also help reduce the City’s liability if a claim were to be filed for a non-compliant facility. The City may then come to an agreement with the lessor on how to address ADA compliance needs. Clarifying contract language to specifically denote the roles and responsibilities for contractors when it comes to ADA compliance in things like construction zones will help the City achieve a higher level of compliance and can help protect the agency from liability stemming from a potential complaint. 59 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment If the City pursues leasing its own propertfes to private businesses or public agencies, it is important to understand the ADA compliance needs of the facility and work with the lessee to determine how auxiliary services can be provided if the compliance needs are substantfal and require major capital alteratfons. The City may negotfate terms within the lease agreement to address the needs or determine if the lessor or lessee is responsible for providing an auxiliary service. As with many ADA-related concerns, documentfng why decisions were made is important in the event of someone filing a formal complaint. If the decision that is ultfmately reached is reasonable and intended to best serve the needs of people with disabilitfes, then the City’s liability is likely to be substantfally reduced in the event of a complaint. Sidewalk/Sidepath Gaps A small percentage of the City’s streets have sidewalks, which means any projects to provide sidewalks or shared use pathways along or parallel to major streets will provide increased accessibility to existfng sidewalks and pathways, parks, and public buildings. Major streets such as Davis and Lick Creek Road are planned to have pathways built alongside them, which will fill major gaps in the network east of SH- 55. Through the Access McCall analysis and public input, the City may consider amending the Transportatfon Master Plan (Figure 8-1) to add the following sidewalk or pathway links: • Forest Street, Mission to State Street: Connectfons to St. Luke’s and the Central Idaho Historical Museum; • Jacob Street, Deinhard to Heartland Hunger Center: Fill sidewalk gap in this short segment along the frontage of the existfng Policy Statfon. • Fairway Drive, Davis Ave to Suitor Lane: Serves Gold Glove Park and housing east of the park, with connectfon to planned pathway along Davis. • Deinhard/Boydstun, Lake St (SH-55) to Treatment Ponds: Provides linkage along major arterial to existfng and planned pathways, sidewalks, and neighborhoods along this route. Figure 8-1: Desired Sidewalks & Pathways in the Transportation Master Plan 60 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Sidewalk Fee in Lieu The constructfon or upgrading of sidewalks, pathways, and curb ramps is currently limited to two primary implementatfon methods: • Funding sources that typically address larger projects; or • Through development-based policies that require on-site improvements. A program for McCall to consider to diversity these methods is a Sidewalk Fee in Lieu program and associated ordinance. The purpose of such an ordinance is to capture funds for needed proximate infrastructure improvements when constructfng a sidewalk on-site of development might not be prudent. The City currently has a fee-in-lieu program for parks as part of its Subdivision Design Standards policy where the City may accept voluntary cash contributfons in lieu of park land dedicatfon and park improvements. For sidewalks, a new development or infill property may be required by City ordinance to construct a new sidewalk. The result is oftentfmes an “island” of sidewalks on one or two propertfes. The usefulness of this requirement is suspect, especially given that any full scale sidewalk project on a street will likely require the existfng sidewalk to be demolished in order to account or stormwater and roadway profile needs. Further, years of winter weather will likely degrade the conditfon of this sidewalk before a full-scale improvement occurs. Instead of being required to construct this sidewalk “island,” the property owner may instead provide the City with payment for the estfmated cost of that constructfon in lieu of building the sidewalk. The funds are then kept by the City and combined to help fill higher priority sidewalk gaps on other streets. A similar philosophy can be applied to larger developments, as occurs in Lewiston, Idaho (see Figure 8 -2). Developers have the optfon of constructfng sidewalks on only one side of local, residentfal streets and providing a fee in lieu of constructfon of sidewalks on the other side of the street. The City of Lewiston enacted this in recognitfon of the number of arterial and collector streets that lack sidewalks and decided it was more important to have a fund to construct these linkages rather than requiring local subdivision streets to have sidewalks on both sides. For property owners and developers, such an ordinance means paying a fee comparable to sidewalk costs at the tfme of development but not having to build the infrastructure and possibly even recapturing property otherwise put into a sidewalk easement. For citfes, this allows higher priority projects to be funded at a quicker pace through private funds while delivering a more impactiul project for the benefit of the community. This process can be seen as a middle ground between the often absolute of either building a sidewalk or grantfng a waiver. With respect to ADA, such a program is not only a conduit for building new sidewalks or pathways, it can also help accelerate the reconstructfon of curb ramps and sidewalk segments. Such an ordinance has been adopted in many citfes throughout the natfon and varies considerably in language and scope. City of Lewiston, Idaho Sidewalk Fee In-Lieu Program Article II. Curbs & Sidewalks; Division 1. Generally, Sec. 31-51. Purpose: Money collected through the “in-lieu-of” program shall be used by the city to construct sidewalks within the same neighborhood, as defined in the comprehensive plan, as the fees were generated from, in ac- cordance with the sidewalk master plan Key Exemptions of Sidewalks for Fee Option: At the request of the property owner, payment of a fee, in lieu of side- walk constructfon, shall be allowed under the following circumstances: (1) The street in questfon is a local residentfal road; and (2) The side of the street on which the development is occurring has not been identffied in the sidewalk master plan as a priority, or desirable for sidewalk installatfon; and (3) Sidewalks or postponement agreements do not exist within one (1) block on the same side of the street of the parcel on which development is occurring; and (4) Curbs and gutters have been postponed; and (5) The right-of-way is insufficient, cannot be dedicated, and the city is unable or does not desire to purchase adequate right-of- way; and (6) Where the director of public works determines a hazard may be created by such installatfon. Fees are Determined by: The in-lieu fee shall be assessed per lineal foot of street frontage. The cost per lineal foot shall be determined by February 1st each year for all fees paid for the next twelve (12) months. Figure 8-2: Lewiston, ID, Sidewalk Fee In-Lieu Policy 61 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Fee In Lieu Framework. In the event the City of McCall adopts a fee in lieu of sidewalk ordinance, sever- al specific elements need to be drafted and inserted into code. • Establish what the policy’s purpose is and why it is necessary. If the primary objectfve is to fulfill the projects identffied in the McCall in Motion Transportation Master Plan and Access McCall, gener- atfng a purpose statement to support that goal is advised to further strengthen its legal standing. • Determine when it is applicable for a property owner to choose the fee instead of constructfon. This is the list of exemptfons for building a curb, gutter, and sidewalk. • Distfnguish between permit types and the actfons necessary under each permit type. (i.e. a rezone, remodel, PUD, or subdivision) • Define how the sidewalk fee is calculated and allow the fee to match market prices. • Determine a tfmeframe expectatfon of when fees are to be spent. • Identffy zones to which the fees are to be applied. For a city like McCall, having two zones, one east of 3rd Street (SH-55) and one west of 3rd Street may suffice. • Identffy project selectfon criteria tfed to the City’s various plans. Shared Use Pathway Design McCall’s Transportation Master Plan calls for shared use pathways instead of sidewalks on many major traffic routes. This is a reasonable approach given the limited right -of-way and a desire to have bicyclists use protected pathways instead of bike lanes or shared travel lanes. From an ADA perspectfve, pathways that run alongside streets (aka sidepaths) should be designed as if they were sidewalks. This means that cross slopes, running slopes, and curb ramps must comply with ADA requirements as if they are sidewalks. The major difherence is these pathways are typically 10-feet wide, which means that accommodatfng compliant ramps at street corners will require more space than if they were ramps connectfng to 5-foot wide sidewalks. Three primary design guides provide directfon the City when it comes to designing these facilitfes. It is recommended that the City maintain a copy of each of these guidelines (and future updates) to refer to its design consultants. These guidelines are endorsed by the Federal Highway Administratfon and oftentfmes, but not always, used by agencies like ITD. The existfng Idaho Standards for Public Works Constructfon (ISPWC) does not contain standard drawings for pathways and pathway ramps. The City may consider working through ISPWC to add such standard drawings to the document so that it serves everyone in Idaho. The three design guides are summarized below and links are provided in Chapter 10: Appendix: • AASHTO Guidelines for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (4th edition, 2012): Chapter 5 addresses design for shared use pathways and includes recommendatfons for curb ramp design, vertfcal barriers and horizontal bufhers, and bridges. A new editfon is under review as of early 2023 but no tfmeline for adoptfon is established. ITD is signatory to this guide and sits on the AASHTO committees that develop and endorse it. Accessibility needs for shared use pathways are not always addressed in prevailing engineering standards and oftentimes require designers to understand accessibility features like curb ramps slopes and landings, as well as signal push buttons, and how to design them to be compliant. 62 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment • FHWA’s Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access (2001): Chapters 12 through 18 address numer- ous topics for trails, pathways, trail crossings, and other specialized facilitfes. This is a go -to resource to understand the various tolerances allowed with regard to things like running slopes, providing a firm and stable surface, and changes in level. • United States Access Board Supplemental Notice on Shared Use Pathways (2011): This publicatfon is part of the overall proposed PROWAG policies. While not an official standard for shared use pathways, this supplemental notfce provides references to PROWAG-specific sectfons that apply to these facilitfes. The AASHTO bicycle guide referenced above is cited in this document. It may serve as a resource for determine the best-fit design for an accessible shared use pathway. If the City uses it for these purposes, then documentfng why it was used and what elements of it are used will help guard against future liability resultfng from a complaint. Pathways on Only One Side of a Street. Right-of-way constraints likely mean McCall’s pathways will be constructed on only one side of a street, with the other side lacking a corresponding pathway or sidewalk. This approach is reasonable given the various constraints, however, to provide access to destfnatfons on the opposite side of the street the City may consider providing more frequent crossing opportunitfes and evaluate the need for short sidewalk or pathway connectfons to key destfnatfons located opposite of where a pathway is constructed. These crossings may come in the form of marked crosswalks with ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs), or full traffic signals. AASHTO’s Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities (2nd editfon, 2021) provides detailed guidance on how to plan for spacing of these crossings. Like with the AASHTO bicycle facilitfes guide, ITD is signatory to the document and therefore can be expected to apply its concepts when reviewing things like grant applicatfons for federal funds or frequency of crossings on SH -55. The AASHTO pedestrian guide states (emphasis added): • “Pedestrians should be able to cross streets and highways at regular intervals and consideratfon should be given to facilitatfng crossings at key high -use locatfons. Unlike motor vehicles, pedestrians cannot be expected to go more than a half a block out of their way to take advantage of a controlled intersection.” • “Pedestrians have a strong desire to cross streets at locatfons close to their intended path—that is, they do not want to go out of their way any more than necessary to reach their destfnatfon. To encourage compliance, midblock crossings should be considered where intersection crossings are widely spaced and natural pedestrian paths exist. Examples include: Where spacing between adjacent signalized intersectfons exceeds 600 ft; where a shared-use path intersects or crosses a street; where a new development that will generate pedestrian traffic is planned at a midblock locatfon.” “Unlike motor vehicles, pedestrians cannot be expected to go more than a half a block out of their way to take advantage of a controlled intersection.” - AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities. 63 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment State Highway 55 Comments on the lack of sidewalks along much of SH-55 within the City limits of McCall were common in the public outreach conducted for Access McCall. It is not the City’s responsibility to fund and construct sidewalks on a state-managed route. Partnerships may be required with ITD to provide this critfcal accessible feature to the City’s residents and visitors. The City may consider incorporatfng these findings from Access McCall into its discussions with ITD, as the corridor being identffy as a major barrier to accessibility in McCall could carry more weight if the project has to compete for funding with other projects across Idaho or the United States. Additfonally, several existfng curb ramps, sidewalk segments, and pedestrian push buttons inventoried along SH-55 for the Access McCall efhort were found to be non-compliant. These are included in the City’s project database and associated GIS files for reference. They are also shown in the Chapter 7: Transitfon Plan maps to illustrate their proximity to sidewalk segments and curb ramp prioritfes in City right-of-way. The City may consider requestfng ITD to upgrade existfng curb ramps, sidewalks, and pedestrian push buttons within the SH-55 right-of-way to comply with ADA. Business Support Comments from both the public and City stafh indicated that a concern they frequently hear from residents and visitors is the lack of accessible businesses, especially in McCall’s downtown. The Police Department noted in their interview for Access McCall that accessible businesses are one of the most frequent calls they get during the busy summer season. The Downtown McCall Master Plan states: • “As the ‘Heart’ of the City, McCall’s Downtown is an essentfal physical component of the City providing a gathering place for the community and a sense of arrival for visitors...Downtown McCall is not only an important physical element of the community; it is also an important economic catalyst for attractfng new businesses, residents, and visitors to McCall.” A business hoping to make downtown their home and fulfill the City’s vision can be met with a costly upgrade to comply with ADA requirements, such as constructfng an exterior ramp so people who use mobility devices can access the business. While City policies and building codes will prompt upgrades to private businesses to make them accessible as part of a major renovatfon or redevelopment, this is not likely to occur for some propertfes and for others the cost to make them accessible can be of a scale that it makes business start-up cost-prohibitfve. These same challenges are not often present when business- es decide to occupy or construct a new building in areas outside of downtown. To help level this playing field, the City may consider working with partners such as McCall Redevelopment Agency (for propertfes within its districts’ boundaries) to provide incentfves in the form of funding to construct ADA-related upgrades for things like external access to buildings. Providing businesses with informatfon on tax incentfves available to them to make certain upgrades is also advised as many businesses are unaware that these incentfves exist. Pedestrian push buttons at the intersection of SH-55 and Mission Street are inaccessible to a person with a disability. The situation is compounded by the fact that a person has to push the button in order to get the “WALK” signal, otherwise they are crossing the street illegally. A step that converts to a ramp is one of the innovative ways business access can be improved. Image: Ramp Up Idaho 64 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Another resource for ideas and technical assistance is Ramp Up Idaho, which is a group of business, transportatfon, housing, community and economic development professionals who promote the economic impact of accessible retail, commercial and housing infrastructure throughout Idaho. Ramp Up Idaho realizes that a step represents more than a physical barrier; it’s also a barrier to commerce. When people and/or their friends can’t get through the door, they aren’t customers. “Visitability” Policies for Single-Family Housing Visitability is defined by the Natfonal Council on Independent Living as a movement to change home constructfon practfces so that virtually all new homes—not merely those custom-built for occupants who currently have disabilitfes—ofher a few specific features making the home easier for mobility - impaired people to live in and visit. Currently, nearly all single-family subdivisions are built with stepped entries at the front, side and rear doorways —even a step between the garage and living space. Imagine the experience of people living in a neighborhood and using a mobility device such as a wheelchair. Can they access their home from the garage? Can they visit their neighbors to have dinner or watch a movie? Can they access the sidewalk from their house? Can they age in place in their home, even when they reach an age where they need to use a mobility device? Ensuring the answers to all these questfons is “yes!” requires homes in a neighborhood to have design features that include at least one zero threshold entrance, doors that are at least 32" wide, and a bathroom on the first floor that a person using a wheelchair can access. When incorporated into the initfal design of a house, there is no cost impact to the builder. When visitability practfces are not part of the initfal constructfon of a house, then future residents with disabilitfes may have to make costly upgrades to their home just to access it and stfll may not be able to enjoy a night out with friends at other homes in their neighborhood. The City of McCall may consider a Visitability ordinance that would require new single family homes to have the design features listed above. Given McCall’s context and the number of homes that are vacatfon rentals and do not serve as primary residences, such an ordinance would provide increased optfons for people with disabilitfes who travel to the area. People with disabilitfes are often challenged in finding vacatfon rentals that provide them with accessible accommodatfons. It would also allow more McCall residents to stay in their home as they age. If the City pursues a Visitability ordinance, engaging local homebuilders and organizatfons like Idaho Access Project can improve the chances for success as it serves as a forum to develop clear objectfves, dispel myths about such an ordinance, and promote a cohesive understanding of why such a policy would be beneficial to current and future City residents, as well as visitors. The Council for Independent Living has a website dedicated to the topic, including policies from citfes who have enacted Visitability ordinances. Some of these citfes include: Cortland, NY; Pima County and Tucson, AZ; Bolingbrook, IL; Iowa City, IA; and Toledo, OH. Providing zero step entries can occur in many ways. The top image shows a zero step front door entry while the middle images shows a ramp built to access the rear entry of a house. The bottom image shows a raised alley that leads to zero step entrances via attached garages. Images: National Council on Independent Living 65 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 9. Schedule & Implementation Steps Federal law requires the Transitfon Plan to have a schedule that shows how the City will address its prioritfes for accessibility in order to transitfon its facilitfes and infrastructure to ADA compliance, over tfme. The City of McCall’s ADA Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the Schedule is managed and updated over tfme as part of the recommended Annual Progress Report. Figure 9-1 on the following page includes a schedule for implementatfon of various policy changes, program modificatfons, and projects. The schedule includes update to policies, programs, and online informatfon in years 2023 and 2024, while establishing the recommended Transitfon Plan Implementatfon Fund to begin design and/or constructfon of projects thereafter. The projects identffied as Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 prioritfes address the greatest needs for McCall as determined through the Self Assessment phase of Access McCall, including public input. There is no financial pathway for the City to completely upgrade every area of every public building and every public street over the next 20 years. By focusing on the Primary Functfon Areas (PFA) of public buildings/facilitfes, as well as priority ramps and sidewalks in public rights-of-way, the City will substantfally improve accessibility to the greatest number of people within its fiscal realitfes. Beyond existfng facilitfes, the City is planning substantfal expansion of its pathway network along primary streets in McCall, including Davis Avenue, Wooley Avenue, and Lick Creek Road. Beyond what is identffied in the Schedule, the City should be willing to respond to requests from individuals who have a specific access need accessing a building or street. The same applies to any City employee who identffies an access need for their daily routfnes in a sector of a building that is not a PFA. Individual requests may be accommodated through the recommended $50,000 annual Transitfon Plan Implementatfon Fund. It is recommended that the City begin incorporatfng Tier 1 projects into the next update of its CIP to identffy a more specific schedule that identffies years in which design and constructfon could occur. The City may decide to pursue outside funding via grants or other sources to implement these priority projects and supplement the annual implementatfon fund allocatfon. The availability of funding or the need to pursue outside funding for implementatfon may impact the scheduling of projects. If a project is advanced to an earlier tfmeframe in the Schedule, or delayed to a later tfmeframe, the City should reflect this change as part of its Annual Progress Report. These prioritfes are not intended to usurp current projects already planned through McCall ’s Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Factors such as bids and schedules for other CIP projects may impact the City ’s overall budget, thus impactfng the implementatfon schedule of ADA -specific projects. Figure 9-2 (pages 67 and 68) includes more details on the efhorts identffied in the Schedule. It is recommended that the City include this table as part of its Annual Progress Report to incorporate updates on the status of these actfons and chart progress on implementfng these measures. The City will continue to make substantial upgrades to its facilities to improve access, like the recent reconstruction of Brown Park and pending upgrade of its restrooms. Some of these projects will be done for purposes other than addressing ADA requirements and should be tracked as part of an Annual Progress Report on the implementation of Access McCall. 66 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Figure 9-1 Transition Plan Schedule 67 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Action Item Schedule Notes Status (Updated through the Annual Progress Report) A. Adopt the Access McCall Plan & Conduct Training 2023 City Council adopted the Plan February 9, 2023 via resolutfon 23-02. Training slated for spring 2023. Adopted 2/9/2023. Training scheduled in spring 2023. B. Update City Policies 2023 Update Grievance Policy to reference Access McCall Plan. Proceed with other City Code amendment, which can occur with other Code changes not related to Access McCall. C. Develop Annual Progress Report 2023 Document City-led projects, as well as any changes to project schedule. Include upgrades made to public right-of-way by private development D. Establish Transition Plan Implementation Fund 2024 Work through FY 2024 budget to identffy $50,000 to dedicate annually for implementatfon of Access McCall prioritfes. This annual fund may be used to build up a fund reserve over multfple years to help address priority projects. E. Update City Website 2024 Ensure new website aligns with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Conduct training for stafh on making web content and documents accessible. F. Finalize Approach/Policy for Sidewalk Repair 2024 Determine how the Council desires to proceed with sidewalk repairs in terms of assessing property owners or setting up new policies. Once determined, City may then decide how to proceed on priority sidewalk rebuild projects and other public rights-of-way need, including expanding the sidewalk system. G. Proceed with already-programmed CIP projects that Improve Access 2023-2027 Already-programmed projects that improve access for the people of McCall should not be delayed as a result of the prioritfes identffied in Access McCall. H. Tier 1 Priority Projects 2025-2030 Begin scheduling the design and constructfon of these three projects in updates to the CIP. Determine how Implementatfon Fund will be allocated to these projects, sometfmes in combinatfon with other funding sources. Civic Center Campus and Boat Ramp Upgrades are being designed. I. Tier 2 Priority Projects 2030-2035 Determine if grants are available to make ADA-related upgrades to historical facilitfes like the Central Idaho Historical Museum. Some priority curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades may occur through resurfacing of an adjacent street or by redevelopment of a parcel. These should be tracked and identffied in J. Tier 3 Priority Projects 2035-2043 Some priority curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades may occur through resurfac- ing of an adjacent street or by redevelopment of a parcel. These should be tracked and identffied in the Annual Progress Report. Sidepath ramp Figure 9-2: Transition Plan Schedule Details 68 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Action Item Schedule Notes Status (To Be Completed With Annual Progress Report) K. Update Self Assessment & Transition Plan 2035 An update in 2035 would occur approximately 10 years after implementatfon steps are enacted from the findings of Access McCall. By this tfme, City facilitfes and rights-of-way will change substantfally and ADA requirements may evolve by then. L. Re-evaluate Progress & Identify New Priorities 2035 The update of this Plan will result in new needs and prioritfes. Tier 3 prioritfes that are not addressed may be included in this re-evaluatfon to determine their priority relatfve to newly-identffied needs or changes in ADA. M. Notify ITD of findings on SH-55 2023/2024 Produce a letter to ITD identffying findings on SH-55. The inventory for Access McCall took more detailed measurements of SH-55 than ITD did through its own 2021 Transitfon Plan. ITD District 3 will be working on their own prioritfes in the coming years stemming from ITD’s Transitfon Plan. The City may be able to work with District 3 to identffy prioritfes for SH-55, including expanding the sidewalk network along the route to provide access to destfnatfons along it. N. Identify ADA Annual Repair Program 2024 In additfon to the $50,000 Implementatfon Fund, the City should identffy smaller-scale projects and efhorts to address non -structural ADA needs on PFAs, in restrooms, and at bus shelters. This could be something like having City crews adjust restroom fixtures like grab bars and soap dispensers, as well as installing insulatfon on exposed pipes under restroom sinks. The City may also choose to use a portfon of the Annual Implementatfon Fund for these smaller scale projects. O. Track Federal ADA Requirements Annually Agencies like the US Access Board, US Department of Justfce, and US Department of Transportatfon are routfnely issuing new reports and memoranda clarifying or alertfng agencies to changes in ADA requirements or interpretatfon of those requirements. The ADA Coordinator should join some of the natfonal newsletters and listservs to keep apprised of any changes. P. Construct Other ADA Upgrades as Part of Major Alterations Varies The City will contfnue to upgrade its buildings, parks, and infrastructure in locatfons that are not identffied as prioritfes in the Access McCall Plan. These will result in improved accessibility to these facilitfes and should be incorporated into the Annual Progress Report with a cost estfmate of the accessibility-specific improvements. Figure 9-2, continued: Transition Plan Schedule Details 69 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 10. Appendix Appendix A: Reference Manuals Below are links to the many federal design guidelines the City can use and reference to ensure a more accessible and safe sidewalk network. No single design guide can address every issue and there are numerous, flexible design practfces the City may use that are not contained in documents such as the City ’s Standard Drawings, Idaho Standards for Public Works Constructfon or the Idaho Transportatfon Department Roadway Design Manual. Links are current as of January 2023. The tftle reflects the terms that can be used in a search engine to find the appropriate guidance. • ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP) - Great Plains ADA Center • https://www.adacoordinator.org/ • American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities (2021; purchase) and Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (2012; purchase) • https://store.transportatfon.org/ • Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Designing Sidewalks & Trails for Access (1999; free download) • Part I of II: https://safety.ffwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/docs/ada.pdf • Part II of II: https://www.ffwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/ publicatfons/sidewalk2/contents.cfm • FHWA Pedestrian Accommodation in Work Zones (2018, free access). • https://workzonesafety-media.s3.amazonaws.com/workzonesafety/files/ documents/training/ffwa_wz_grant/artba_pedestrian_accommodatfon_wz.pdf • FHWA Memorandum—Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility (2013; free ac- cess). Memo provides formal FHWA endorsement of guidelines published by AASHTO, ITE, and NACTO for use by cities, state DOTs, consultants, and others. • https://www.ffwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/guidance/ design_flexibility.cfm • FHWA Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks Guide (2017; free download). Includes federally-endorsed design treatments for low speed and low volumes roadways that include low cost, high impact safety projects for people who walk and bike. • https://www.ffwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publicatfons/ small_towns/ • Great Plains ADA Center. Resource for training, webinars, and ADA slides shows on vari- ous facets of compliance. • https://www.gpadacenter.org/ • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Recommended Practice Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach (2010; free download) • https://nacto.org/docs/usdg/designing_walkable_urban_thoroughfares.pdf • Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD); Chapters 3B, 4E, 4F, 6D, 7 for acces- sibility– and pedestrian-focused elements. (2009; free download) • http://mutcd.ffwa.dot.gov/htm/2009r1r2/html_index.htm • National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide (2013; free access) • https://nacto.org/publicatfon/urban-street-design-guide/ • Northwest ADA Center. Resource for training and technical feedback. Based on the Univer- sity of Washington with affiliates in Idaho. • https://nwadacenter.org/ • US Access Board 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, (2010; free access) • https://www.access-board.gov/ada/#department-of-justfce-ada-standards-2010 • US Access Board ADA Guides (free download). Provides easy-to-understand diagrams and illustrations that help interpret the ADA Standards. • https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/ • US Access Board Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines (2011; free access) • https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/streets-sidewalks/ public-rights-of-way • US Access Board Planning and Design for Alterations (2007; free download) • https://www.access-board.gov/files/prowag/planning-and-design-for- alteratfons.pdf • US Access Board Other Guidance and Research (free access). Includes links to reports and research on Building Elements and Spaces, Communication and Information, Exterior Surfaces, Human Measures & Mobility Aids, Accessible Pedestrian Signals, detectable warnings, etc. • https://www.access-board.gov/research/ • US Access Board & National Center on Accessibility, National Trail Surfaces Study (2014) • https://www.americantrails.org/resources/natfonal-trail-surfaces-study • US Department of Agriculture, Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails (2012, free download) • https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Accessibility-Guide-Book.pdf • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: • https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ 70 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Appendix B: Accessibility Certification Exceptions Form Sample form for reference. Dynamic form in Microsoft Word format on-file with City of McCall. 71 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment Appendix C: Detailed Public Survey Responses 72 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 73 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 74 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 75 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 76 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 77 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 78 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment 79 Access McCall: ADA Transition Plan & Self Assessment October 2022 Listening Sessions Sign-In Sheet