anchor Description
This program provides for an on-going comprehensive effort to ensure that County buildings and other facilities are built and maintained in compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. This program includes both the correction of deficiencies identified by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) during its proactive Project Civic Access (PCA) assessment of County facilities, an assessment by the County of all County government buildings and facilities not included in the PCA assessment, and remediation of any deficiencies identified by those assessments. The program also includes policy development, advanced technical training for County architects and engineers to ensure that ADA compliance and accessibility are incorporated throughout the County's planning, staff training, design, and construction process in order to ensure that County facilities are fully compliant with Title II of the ADA. In September 2010 revised Title II ADA regulations, including the 2010 Standards, were issued by DOJ. The new 2010 Standards include revisions to the 1991 ADA Accessbility Guideline (ADAAG) standards and supplemental standards for features not addressed in the 1991 ADAAG including pools, recreation facilities, ball fields, locker rooms, exercise rooms, picnic areas, golf courses, playgrounds and residential housing. The Title II ADA regulations require jurisdictions to proactively address the supplemental standards by bringing all features addressed in the supplemental standards into compliance with the 2010 Standards.
anchorEstimated Schedule
FY25: MLK Outdoor Pool, Germantown Outdoor Pool, Sandy Spring Fire Station, Coffield Community Center
FY26: Bethesda Outdoor Pool, 401 Hungerford Drive, 8818 Georgia Avenue
anchorCost Change
Cost increase is due to the addition of expenditures in FY29 and FY30 for this ongoing project. FY24 reflects a $180k transfer in current revenue general funds to Facility Site Selection.
anchor Justification
Montgomery County was selected by DOJ for a Project Civic Access review in 2006. Project Civic Access is a proactive, ongoing initiative of the Disability Rights Section (DRS) of the DOJ Civil Rights Division to ensure ADA compliance in local and state governments throughout the country. DOJ has completed reviews and signed settlement agreements with over 150 jurisdictions to date. DOJ has inspected approximately 112 County government buildings and facilities. In addition, they have inspected polling places, ballfields, golf courses, and local parks. Montgomery County signed a legally binding settlement agreement to address the findings in August 2011. M-NCPPC was a co-signer of the agreement. The agreement requires the County to remediate all problems identified by DOJ within a negotiated timeline and to survey all remaining buildings, facilities, and programs not surveyed by DOJ. Programs and facilities must be surveyed within a three-year time frame, with approximately 80 completed each year. Prior to FY20, the County was required to send a report of its findings to DOJ each year with a proposed remediation plan and timeline.
anchorFiscal Note
FY24: $180k transfer in current revenue general funds to Facility Site Selection.
anchorDisclosures
Expenditures will continue indefinitely.
anchorCoordination
United States Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation, Office of the County Attorney, Montgomery County Public Schools, Revenue Authority, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and Department of General Services.