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Friday, September 5, 2008

ADA Sidewalk Repair Account Created For CDA

Coeur d'Alene City Council Members have approved the creation of an ADA Hazard Abatement Account for sidewalk repairs. The account will fund repairs for ADA sidewalk deficiencies that are included in a 5-Year Priority Plan that will be updated and approved by the City Council on a yearly basis. The account is expected to fund approximately 5,000 lineal feet of sidewalk repairs per year.

Tied to foregone taxes, this account will start at approximately $200,000 per year. The impact of this cost is estimated to add $0.05/$1,000 of assessed value to property taxes. This equates to $10/year for a home with a net valuation of $200,000.

Sidewalk repairs will be prioritized based on need and use. The ADA Hazard Abatement Program covers only ADA compliance issues. This is not a complete sidewalk replacement program. The goal is to accomplish ADA compliance and meet pedestrian safety issues.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

DISABLED MAN SUES CITY OVER ACCESS TO SIDEWALKS AND BICYCLE PATHS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Theo Karantsalis

Oct. 24, 2008



MIAMI -- Theo Karantsalis, a librarian who suffers from multiple sclerosis, filed a lawsuit against the city of Miami Springs, Miami-Dade County, and the Florida Department of Transportation seeking equal access to area sidewalks and bicycle paths. The case was filed on Sept. 22, 2008, in United States District Court, Southern District of Florida.

Karantsalis alleges that he is being "denied full, safe and equal access" to Miami Springs' "roads, sidewalks and bicycle paths" in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Karantsalis brought this to the attention of city, county, and state officials on Dec. 22, 2007, when he filed a complaint with the U.S. Justice Dept. requesting that the city ensure "that individuals with disabilities receive equal access to its benefits or services."

In the complaint, Karantsalis said that if he wasn't able to resolve this matter with the city, then he would bring a lawsuit to enforce his rights under Title II of the ADA. Karantsalis said he made repeated efforts to resolve this dispute without litigation.

"With regard to the city, I have phoned, e-mailed, visited, uploaded videos, and appeared at council meetings to point out ADA violations," said Karantsalis. "It's obvious the city wasn't interested in complying with the Act."

Karantsalis is an MS Activist with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Karantsalis is also a Miami-Dade County Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee member who identifies opportunities, recommends projects and provides input on projects that affect people who walk or ride their bike, in order to make bicycling and walking safe methods of transportation and recreation in Miami-Dade County.

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Anonymous said...

awesome!