From a July 7, 2023 press release from the City of Piedmont:
Help the City of Piedmont identify and prioritize improvements needed to better serve people with disabilities by completing a short online survey. Your comments will be used to develop a comprehensive plan for improving access to City facilities, programs, services, activities, and events.
The short, seven question survey asks:
- If you’re aware of specific concerns, complaints, or problems regarding access to City facilities, services, or programs for people with disabilities
- Whether you’ve requested an accommodation in the past, and if so, how it was handled
- What should be the City’s highest priority for accessibility improvements
Your answers will provide valuable information as the City works to make our facilities, services, and programs more accessible to all. The survey is available at piedmont.ca.gov/ADASurvey and will remain open through Friday, August 25th. To request a copy of the survey in an alternate format, please contact:
Stacy Jennings, ADA Coordinator
sjennings@piedmont.ca.gov
Phone: (510) 420-3047
TTY through California Relay at: 7-1-1
Survey part of larger project to understand and improve ADA access
The survey is one component of a comprehensive update to the City’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plan – an initiative that will create an inventory of existing obstacles to accessibility, identify steps that can be taken to remedy those issues, and develop a schedule for bringing the City’s facilities and programs into compliance. Community input is an essential part of this process.
The City began working with Disability Access Consultants (DAC), a firm that specializes in helping public agencies improve compliance, to update its ADA transition plan in October 2022. Work began with a thorough review of City facilities, evaluating parks, sidewalks, pathways, restrooms, and other public spaces for accessibility gaps. Detailed inspections of City buildings measured everything from restrooms to doorways to assess whether each one complies with current ADA standards. DAC is also helping the City identify barriers to access for City services and programming.
DAC will use the inspection data and comments from community members, staff, and organizations that serve people with disabilities to create a realistic plan for bringing facilities, programs, and services into compliance over time. The plan will identify areas where the City can make immediate improvements as well as provide programmatic guidance for implementing
larger fixes across a longer period. This document will guide future City decisions around prioritizing, budgeting, and monitoring removal of barriers to ADA access.
Several ADA-improvement projects currently underway
In recent years, the City has focused heightened attention on making Piedmont’s public spaces, facilities, and services accessible to all. Last year’s sidewalk repair project included installation of 22 new ADA ramps in Piedmont neighborhoods, and another 35 are planned as part of this year’s repairs. Public Works is currently in the design phase of efforts to bring ADA accessibility to Crocker Park and the Dracena off-leash dog area.
The City’s recently completed Highland-Guilford steps renovation highlights how accessibility improvements benefit the entire community. This project replaced a sloped walkway that did not meet current ADA standards for exterior steps with a reconfigured concrete stairway featuring handrails, landings, anti-slip features, and LED lighting – making navigation safer for people with mobility and vision disabilities, and also for children, seniors, and anyone walking through this part of the park at night or in the rain.
For questions about the survey or ADA transition plan update, contact Public Works Director Daniel Gonzales at dgonzales@piedmont.ca.gov.
The survey is available at piedmont.ca.gov/ADAsurvey and will remain open through August 25th.