DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: Council District 1
SUBJECT:
City Council Request for Design Competition to Provide Equal Access to City Hall
SUMMARY:
Councilmember Trevino initiated a Council Consideration Request (CCR) for Transportation & Capital Improvements (TCI) staff to conduct a design competition to generate ideas on how to provide equal access on the east and west side of City Hall.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Americans with Disabilities Act enacted by Congress in 1990 is the nation's first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.
On June 6, 2016, City Council District Office 1 submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) for a design competition to make the front entrance of City Hall fully accessible to all visitors. Currently there is ADA access at the west entrance of the building at City Hall.
ISSUE:
Upon receipt of the request, TCI's City Architect and Disability Access Office, in coordination with the Office of Historic Preservation, reviewed the potential modifications to make City Hall ADA accessible on the east side of the building. As a result of the review, potential modifications would require extensive coordination with the Texas Historic Commission to include a minimum of a 150 foot ramp installed with a proper slope and landing. The historic structure would require the design to be approved by the Texas Historic Commission and any modification to be impermanent in nature, that is, can be installed or removed without impacting or marring the existing structure. There were also concerns raised regarding the existing pecan trees in front of City Hall being susceptible to potential damage caused by construction activity.
The FY 2017 Adopted City Budget did not include funding for the Cit...
Click here for full text