HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-6-28Nantucket Commission on Disability
Minutes
Open Session
Friday June 28, 2013
Murray Room at the Founder's Building Z o
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Present: Mickey Rowland, Penny Snow, Nancy Rezendes, Georgia Snell and Bre:@a r4MoiPugh
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Absent: Ellen Bmginton -Smith and Jeanette Topham �
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Guests: Darcy Creech, Alex Rosenberg and Phil Hubbard z a
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Call to Order: 3:05 p.m. A S
Agenda: Mr. Rowland stated, by unanimous consent we are adopting the agenda.
Minutes: There were no minutes to approve.
Topics: Other Business:
Darcy Creech attended our meeting and spoke about her desire to purchase three
wheelchair bicycles designed to accommodate a rider and a passenger who sits in a
special chair in the front of the bicycle. Ms. Creech believes that disabled and elderly
residents and visitors could greatly benefit from being driven around on these
wheelchair bicycles on the bike paths here on Nantucket. She would love to form a
volunteer group whose responsibilities would include driving these bicycles,
organizing trips, and whatever else needs to be done to promote and sustain this
program. All volunteers would be trained. The bicycles costs around $10,000 each and
she plans to initially buy two wheelchair bicycles. Ms. Creech was looking for our
Commission's support and hoped that our Commission would embrace this idea.
The Commission members made the following comments:
• Mr. Rowland wondered about liability and that Ms. Creech might have to hire
a lawyer. Ms. Creech will look into hiring a lawyer and she also plans to have
insurance.
• Ms. Creech plans to raise the necessary funds through a fund raising web site
called Indiegogo.
• Mr. Rowland wondered where the wheelchair bikes would be stored. After
some discussion, Ms. Creech thought that Don Allen Ford's dealership might
have the room to store these bikes. The location would be perfect because it is
right on the bike path. She planned to contact toe owners at Don Allen
immediately to request some storage space.
• The Commission members expressed their enthusiasm and support regarding
this project.
New Members:
Mr. Rowland welcomed Alex Rosenberg and Phil Hubbard as our new Commission
members who will be sworn in after July 1. Mr. Rowland asked each of them to tell
the Commission about themselves.
Mr. Hubbard resides at Sherburne Commons, and runs a residence committee there.
He volunteers at the hospital and is one of the board members at Salt Marsh.
Ms. Rosenberg works in the Social Services Department at the hospital, speaks fluent
Spanish, and has a connection to the Spanish speaking community.
Variance Applications:
Mr. Rowland explained what a variance application was and why our Commission
reviewed them.
9India Street: The following is a brief summary of the Commission's comments on
the variance application:
• Mr. Rowland read the application and explained that the estimated cost for the
renovation was substantially lower that the actual cost of the renovation.
Therefore, the tenants are required to supply access to the second level and the
toilet room on the second floor has to be completely accessible.
• The tenants are applying for the following variances from the 521 CMR:
1. A time variance (Section 17.5) to install a vertical wheelchair lift to be
installed no later than January 31, 2014.
2. Public entrance is not accessible (Section 25.1) but the accessible
ramped entrance is on the east side of the building.
3. The second floor toilet room is not accessible as required in Section
30.1.
4. There are two existing interior sets of stairs and the exterior front
entrance steps that do not meet all the sections of Section 27.1.
• Mr. Rowland stated his opinions of the variance. He was in favor of the time
variance to install the lift; he would love to see access in the front entrance but
realizes that it is impossible; the stairs are old and costly to replace, and given
the fact that the tenants are going to install a lift, he is in favor of the section of
the variance request,; he believed that he tenants did not prove impracticability
concerning the second level toilet room.
• The following is a summary of the discussion among the Commission
members and Mr. Hubbard and Ms. Rosenberg.
1. Mr. Hubbard said that signage is needed at the front entrance indicating
the location of the accessible entrance. He wondered why the steps did
not comply with the code and questioned the handrails that were not
compliant.
2. Mr. Rowland explained that the stairs are historic and are very costly to
replace, and the exterior stairs are on the sidewalk and that that
entrance would be impossible to ramp. There are historic handrails on
one side of the interior stairs and compliant handrails on the other side.
3. Mr. Rowland had questions regarding the non - accessible toilet room on
the second level. Ms. Rosenberg thought that if patrons who are
disabled are dining on the second floor, then they should have access to
the toilet room on the second level.
4. Mr. Hubbard was wondering why they did not have to install the
vertical lift immediately. Mr. Rowland explained that the AAB are
reasonable about allowing businesses to stay open for their livelihood
and are willing to work with the businesses regarding time variances.
Ms. Snell motioned to support all the variance requests with the exception of
not providing an accessible toilet room on the second level, provided that they
install signage at the front entrance indicating where the accessible entrance is,
which Ms. Snow seconded and all the present Commission members voted in
favor of this motion.
76 Main Street:
• The Commission did not have a copy of the variance application for the project
on 76 Main Street. The original building permit stated that they plan to spend
less that $100,000 and so they were not required to provide an accessible
entrance and bathroom. However, they actually spent in excess of $600,000
and most of the work was not permitted. This is what triggered front entrance
access and an accessible bathroom. Since we did not have a physical copy of
the variance request, Mr. Rowland called Tom Hopkins, Director of the AAB,
and Mr. Hopkins explained the variance request for this project. They plan to
install a lift in the rear of the building, an accessible bathroom on the first level
of the main building, and in an effort to atone for bad behavior they plan to
provide an accessible guest room in the back building. The owners are looking
for a temporary CO before they provide these accessible features so that they
can open some time this season. They are also looking for a time variance for
installing these accessible features.
• Ms. Rezendes motioned to support the temporary CO, which Ms. Snell
seconded, and all the present Commission members voted to support this
motion.
• Ms. Snow motioned to support the time variance, which Ms. Snell seconded,
and all the present Commission members voted to support this motion.
4:40 p.m. Alex Rosenberg left the meeting.
Other Business:
• Ms. Snow spoke about the Hearing Loss Association.
Executive Session: 4:48
Ms. Rezendes motioned to go into executive session to discuss the parking permit
applications, and not to return to the open meeting once the executive session is adjourned,
which Ms. Snell seconded, and Mr. Rowland, Ms. Snell, Ms. Snow, and Ms. Rezendes voted
in favor of this motion.
Submitted by:
Brenda McDonough, Facilitator