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23 <br /> 1 streamline future assessments. The committee plans to further accelerate the remaining <br /> 2 assessments by engaging the Safety Committees from each facility in conducting initial <br /> 3 assessments so that the accessibility assessment teams will only need to verify the results. <br /> 4 Initial Findings: <br /> 5 These initial assessments have identified several areas for improvement in County <br /> 6 facilities. Some of these will require only minor adjustments (Low-level) to improve accessibility <br /> 7 and others will require a greater investment. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 Example Findings from Initial Assessments: <br /> 10 Low-level (repairs ongoing) <br /> 11 • Reducing door-opening pressures <br /> 12 • Marking walking surface to highlight transitions <br /> 13 • Landscape management for facility visibility and accessibility (tree pruning, hedge <br /> 14 maintenance, etc.) <br /> 15 • Patching damaged sidewalks <br /> 16 • Replacing faded parking signage and striping <br /> 17 Mid-level <br /> 18 • Repairing minor trip hazards <br /> 19 • Adding wayfinding signage <br /> 20 • Adjusting heights of restroom accessories and features <br /> 21 High-level <br /> 22 • Addressing slope issues along accessible routes <br /> 23 • Installing additional railings <br /> 24 <br /> 25 The low-level and mid-level items are those that require only minor adjustments or <br /> 26 repairs. These are continuously addressed within AMS Corrective Maintenance repair <br /> 27 processes, the grounds maintenance provided by the Department of Environment, Agriculture, <br /> 28 Parks and Recreation, and AMS Building Improvement projects. The high-level items would <br /> 29 likely be best addressed within the Capital Investment Plan (CIP). As discussed in the Space <br /> 30 Study Update to the Board during the November 10, 2015 work session, staff is preparing these <br /> 31 results to inform the CIP discussion in March 2016. <br /> 32 As assessments are completed, the results will be summarized and prioritized within a <br /> 33 framework modeled on the ADA Transition Plan. The Transition Plan lists physical obstacles <br /> 34 that limit the accessibility of public programs or activities to individuals with disabilities, and then <br /> 35 describes the methods that will be used to remove these obstacles, and specifies when each <br /> 36 step will be taken and by whom. As noted in the ADA statute, all facilities do not have to meet <br /> 37 each accessibility component, but rather all persons with disabilities must be able to participate <br /> 38 in and benefit from the services, programs, and activities provided by Orange County. <br /> 39 Therefore, as a plan is created for the removal of obstacles, actions that improve accessibility to <br /> 40 County programs will be prioritized over other types of facilities improvements. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 • Organizations represented <br /> 43 o Orange County Human Relations Commission (HRC) <br /> 44 o North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) <br /> 45 o Disability Awareness Council (DAC) <br /> 46 o County Building Inspectors <br /> 47 o 12 County Departments plus NC Courts <br /> 48 • Follow accessible route from parking lot into all areas <br /> 49 o Identify, Verify, Record <br /> 50 <br /> 51 Timeline and Next Steps <br />