Lexington parks, facilities need thousands of accessibility fixes. How should city address the backlog?
During its August 25th Work Session, Council will review recommendations for making Lexington's parks and facilities more accessible to people with disabilities.
As a March 31st report from consultant WT Group AEC shows, it's a huge initiative. An assessment found there are approximately 19,430 accessibility issues identified across 188 city sites.
The report notes that, to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the local government doesn't necessarily have to make every site accessible, but it does have to make every program it conducts accessible. It explains that the ADA broadly defines that term.
"For LFUCG, an opportunity made available to the public is a program. Using a playground is a program. Cooling off at a splash pad is a program. Making public comment at an Urban County Council meeting is a program," the ADA Transition Plan report from WT Group AEC states.
"...It is a violation of the ADA if a [Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government] program cannot be accessed by a person with a disability because the facility in which the program is located is inaccessible," the report further adds.
How should the city implement the plan?
For practical reasons, "LFUCG cannot implement all recommendations at once; no local government can," the report states.
To promote program access for people with disabilities, WT Group AEC recommends making at least one of every three recurring assets accessible, not necessarily every existing LFUCG site or asset.
"This ensures that no matter where a resident is, some LFUCG assets are near them and are accessible," the ADA Transition Plan report states.
The consultant is suggesting a phased approach to accessibility retrofits, that according to this Council presentation, is expected to take 20 years to implement and cost at least $74,448,590 for phases 1-3. That's not counting roughly $43.6 million in optional costs and $928,723 in smart practices that exceed minimum legal requirements.
Beyond building and facility improvements themselves, the consultant also makes several operational recommendations. A few examples include:
- Continue developing a system-wide ADA compliance team
- Build accessibility into the city's design, procurement and maintenance practices
- Advertise accessible amenities on city websites and printed materials
- Strengthen ADA requirements for contractors, concessionaires and affiliates
- Develop ongoing ADA trainings for all city staff
- Build and maintain relationships with advocates and residents with disabilities, and consult them about their preferences and priorities
- Budget and spend money on the ADA Transition Plan every year
Access deficits are abundant at several of the city's older buildings, including its downtown Government Center, Switow Building, Phoenix Building, its Parks and Recreation Administration Building and the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center. Correcting their issues is difficult due to the age of the facilities, the report states.
"Many of these sites host unique services that are not offered elsewhere within LFUCG. It is critical to address the programs at older facilities and to increase access measures at these sites," the consultant's report states.
The review also examines accessibility barriers across the city's various trails, play areas, sports facilities, and picnic shelters. It flags issues for trail surfaces, suggests pursuing accessibility certifications for playgrounds, and recommends making more ballfields and courts accessible, to name a few examples.
The project's scope did not include right-of-way evaluations. The consultant recommends LFUCG develop a transition plan to address "the program of sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian button controls, crossings, and transit stops," as those issues often came up in staff and stakeholder discussions.
It's also worth noting there's no single source of funding for the city to pay for these improvements, but WT Group AEC identifies several potential ones. They include Community Development Block Grants, state funding, and incorporating accessibility improvements with the city's Capital Improvement Plan.
Council will review the ADA Transition Plan during its August 25th Work Session meeting at 3 p.m. You can attend the meeting in the Government Center's Council Chamber or watch it live on LexTV.
Review meeting materials for this agenda item here and reach out to your councilmember to share your perspective. You can find your councilmember at this link. In-person public comment is also available at Council Work Sessions.