LTC 133-2006 ADA Pilot Project Update
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MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 133-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
DATE:
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manage}..~'
May 11 , 2006 0 r~ ()
ADA PILOT PROJECT UPDATE
FROM:
SUBJECT:
The purpose of this letter is to provide a status update regarding the ADA Pilot Project
undertaken at the request of the Land Use and Development Committee. The project
involves encouraging voluntary compliance by Miami Beach businesses with the barrier
removal obligations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
Eight target businesses identified through a survey and on-site inspections as an appropriate
sampling for the project were contacted by the City. The project was explained to the
property owners and informed them they should expect to be contacted by the City's liaison
to schedule a visit.
Since the Committee's 12/12/05 meeting, on-site visits and follow-up phone calls were made
to the target properties. Details of these activities are as follows:
. Princess Ann Hotel, 920 Collins Avenue:
o On 12/15/05, the City met with the manager regarding entrance access
issues. As a result of the meeting, it was determined that the hotel has one
step up to a front porch, then several more steps up to the lobby doorway.
Once inside, there are approximately a half dozen steps up to the first level
of guest rooms. The rear entrance is off of an alley and has multiple steps
with twists and turns. We suggested that the manager have an
architectural/engineering firm evaluate whether a ramp can be constructed
along the south side of the hotel, with an entrance at the top of the ramp,
leading to the first level of guestrooms.
o On 3/30/06, the most recent follow-up phone call was made. The owner is
currently working with an architect to develop plans for addressing the
access issues to the property.
· Blue Moon Hotel, 944 Collins Avenue:
o On 12/15/05, the City met with the general manager regarding entrance
access issues. As a result of the meeting, it was determined that there is a
compliant ramp that provides access to the hotel's main entrance. However,
several tiles were missing from the ramp surface and the mounting of the
ramp railings was questionable. We asked the general manager to have
these corrected.
o On 2/1/06, the general manager called and stated that the missing tiles have
been replaced and the ramp rails were determined to be compliant, as they
are mounted one and half inches from the wall.
· Beach Legal Properties, Inc. - parking lot at 69th Street and Harding Avenue:
o On 1/3/06, the City met with Nathalie Schukrou, a representative of the
owner/operator of the parking lot. Two access issues were apparent. While
the lot had one accessible parking space - which is all the code requires -
the width of the space and adjacent access aisle appeared to be non-
compliant. The space also lacked signage. The second access issue was a
lack of an accessible route from the accessible parking space to the building
entrance. Ms. Schukrou said she would bring these issues to the attention of
the property owner.
o On 2/27/06, a follow-up phone call established that the barrier-removal items
were completed on 2/24/06.
· Loft Hotel, 952 Collins Avenue:
o On 1/11/06, the City met with the owner. There are several steps up to the
front door entrance of the hotel, with zero set-back from the sidewalk.
However, the back entrance from the alley has just two small steps that could
be ramped, starting from inside the entrance. With these steps ramped,
guests could easily reach the first level of guestrooms as well as the hotel
office. The owner said he would have an assessment done by an
architecture/engineering firm.
o On 1/30/06, a follow-up phone call was made. The owner stated that he had
not yet been able to move forward with the project, but he was in the process
of finding an engineer to consult with.
o On 3/30/06, the property owner said that he had decided not to proceed with
barrier-removal since he would be selling the property to another party to
convert into condos.
· Vis cay Hotel, 960 Collins:
o On 12/1/05, the City met with the owner, who stated that he would in the near
future be submitting plans to the Building Department for the installation of a
mechanical lift to provide access to the hotel. He also discussed plans to
renovate other common areas to improve access.
o On 1/30/06, a follow-up phone call was made. The owner stated that he is in
the process of finishing the permitting for renovations to another property and
needed to conclude those before proceeding with drafting plans for the
barrier-removal for the hotel.
o On 3/31/06, another follow-up phone call determined the same status as
before. However, the owner did expect to undertake the hotel's barrier
removal sometime in 2006.
. City National Bank, 300 71 st Street:
o On 12/6/05, the City visited with the Vice President of Administrative Services
regarding a too-steep access ramp in the path of travel from the nearby
accessible parking and an employee/tenant parking lot across the street
lacking accessible parking spaces.
o On 1/31/06, a follow-up phone call established that the access ramp had
been demolished and re-installed at a compliant slope. The bank's plans to
install accessible parking in the employee/tenant lot across the street are on
hold because the bank is currently engaged in negotiations with the City
regarding the City's possible purchase of the lot for a mixed-use
development. The City's Planning Department has suggested that the
negotiators be given some time to reach a conclusion first before the Pilot
Project continues to pursue barrier removal in the employee/tenant lot.
o On 3/30/06, the Planning Department verified that the negotiations are still
Preliminary field visits have determined that the following businesses are deficient in number
of accessible parking spaces. These businesses were therefore added in March 2006 to the
project:
. Epicure, 1681 West Ave (independent parking lot to north of Epicure lot, being
rented by Epicure): 66 total spaces; zero accessible spaces.
. Normandy Isle Decorating Center, 1118 Normandy Drive: eight total spaces; zero
accessible spaces.
. Estrella Insurance, 1108 Normandy Drive: two spaces; zero accessible spaces.
. Radisson Deauville Hotel, 6701 Collins Avenue: parking lot located on Indian Creek:
181 total spaces; zero accessible spaces.
Letters to the owners of the four properties stated above have been drafted and are being
delivered.
The next phase for this project will include follow-up site visits with the four recently added
businesses, with a goal date for completion of the visits by 4/28/06. Also to be carried out
are periodic contacts with the original group of businesses to monitor the progress of their
barrier-removal plans. These contacts will continue through 6/30/06, and at such time, we
will evaluate the effectiveness of the voluntary compliance approach being used with this
project.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Fred Beckmann,
Public ~~Director at ext. 6012.
JMG/~TH/hjW
c: Robert C. Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Fred H. Beckmann, Public Works Director
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