anchor Description
This program provides for an on-going comprehensive effort to ensure that all parks and park facilities are built, renovated, and maintained in compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. This program includes the correction of deficiencies identified by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) during its Project Civic Access assessment of various park facilities, the results of a comprehensive self-evaluation process, as well as efforts to comply with the revisions to Title II of the ADA, which went into effect on March 15, 2011, and other opportunities to improve accessibility. Improvements may include, but are not limited to, barrier removal, grading, pavements, site amenities, drainage improvements, building modifications, signage, etc. and are often combined with other projects.
anchorCost Change
Increase due to the addition of FY31 and FY32 to this ongoing project.
anchor Justification
Montgomery County was selected by the DOJ for a Project Civic Access (PCA) review in 2006. The PCA is a proactive, ongoing initiative of the Disability Rights Section of the DOJ Civil Rights Division to ensure ADA compliance in local and state governments throughout the country. Montgomery County and M-NCPPC entered into a Settlement Agreement with DOJ on August 16, 2011, that required the County and M-NCPPC to remediate specific issues identified by DOJ within a negotiated timeline, conduct a comprehensive self-evaluation, and develop a Transition Plan for barrier removal, including efforts to comply with the updated Title II requirements. All self-evaluations were completed ahead of schedule and the Final Transition Plan submitted in August 2016 and subsequently accepted by DOJ. The Final Transition Plan provides a summary of all barriers found, a strategy and timeline for their removal, as well as planning level cost estimates. The Final Transition Plan identified approximately 13,600 barriers with a projected planning level cost estimate of $31 million for barrier removal system-wide, although actual costs are expected to be significantly higher based upon work completed to date.
anchorFiscal Note
Prior year partial capitalization of expenditures through FY16 totaled $1,934,000.
anchorDisclosures
Expenditures will continue indefinitely.
anchorCoordination
United States Department of Justice, County Attorney's Office, Department of General Services, ADA Compliance: Non-Local Parks, PDF 128702