Accessibility Advisory Committee

Report

Meeting #:	9th Meeting of the Accessibility Advisory Committee
Date:	Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 3:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.
Location:

Attendance

• ​PRESENT:   J. Madden (Chair), M. Cairns, M. Dawthorne, A. Forrest, N. Judges, P. Moore and P. Quesnel and J. Bunn (Secretary)
    
  ABSENT:  L. Chappell, J. Higgins, J. Menard, K. Ramer, K. Schmidt and F. Simmons
    
  ALSO PRESENT: D. Baxter, C. DeForest, H. McNeely, M. Pease and M. Stone
    
  The meeting was called to order at 3:04 PM.

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1.

Call to Order

1.1

Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest

That it BE NOTED that no pecuniary interests were disclosed.

2.

Scheduled Items

2.1

Vehicle for Hire By-law

• That the attached presentation, from C. DeForest, Manager, Business Services, with respect to the Vehicle for Hire By-law, BE REFERRED to the Transportation Sub-Committee for further review.

2.2

Site Plan Checklist Update

• That the Site Plan Checklist BE PLACED on the Accessibility Advisory Committee Deferred Matters List for continued follow up in September 2019; it being noted that a verbal update from M. Pease, Manager, Development Planning and H. McNeely, Manager, Development Services (Site Plan), with respect to this matter, was received.

2.3

Committee of Adjustment Information

• That A. Salton, Manager, Zoning and Public Property Compliance, BE REQUESTED to forward any zoning applications with accessibility implications, to be considered by the Committee of Adjustment, to the Accessibility Advisory Committee, in a timely manner, for comment; it being noted that the communication from S. Lewis, Chair, and J. Preston, Vice-Chair, Committee of Adjustment, as appended to the agenda, and a verbal delegation from M. Pease, Manager, Development Planning and S. Lewis, Chair, Committee of Adjustment, were received. 

3.

Consent

3.1

8th Report of the Accessibility Advisory Committee

• That it BE NOTED that the 8th Report of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, from its meeting held on September 27, 2018, was received.

3.2

Municipal Council Resolution - Community Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

• That delegation status BE APPROVED for representatives of the Accessibility Advisory Committee to speak at the December 10, 2018 meeting of the Community and Protective Services Committee regarding the Community Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (CDIS); it being noted that the Municipal Council resolution, from its meeting held on October 16, 2018, with respect to the CDIS, was received.

3.3

Notice of Planning Application - Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments - 2156 Highbury Avenue North

• That it BE NOTED that the Notice of Planning Application, dated September 26, 2018, from C. Lowery, Planner II, with respect to Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for the property located at 2156 Highbury Avenue North, was received.

4.

Sub-Committees and Working Groups

4.1

Education and Awareness Sub-Committee Report

• That the following actions be taken with respect to the Education and Awareness Sub-Committee Report from its meeting held on October 9, 2018:

  a)            the London Transit Commission BE REQUESTED to attend an upcoming Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACCAC) meeting to speak to the upcoming four-year budget preparations; it being noted that upon notification of a London Transit Commission representative attending a meeting, the ACCAC will provide a list of questions to the representative to allow time to prepare responses;

  b)            representatives of the City of London’s unions BE REQUESTED to attend a future meeting of the ACCAC to discuss options for inclusion in employment, including but not limited to job sharing and flexibility that extends beyond the parameters of existing union contracts and defined job positions, in order to better facilitate hiring of people with disabilities;

  c)            a public accountability measure, present on the City of London website, which allows for the display of reported issues, assigns responsibility, and includes resolutions and/or timelines BE IMPLEMENTED in order to improve its notification of construction projects, blocked passages, road work and public transit route changes and promote its reporting mechanisms to the general public;

  d)            a pedestrian plan that prioritizes accessibility and notification BE INCLUDED in every construction project; and,

  e)            the following actions be taken with respect to the City of London snow removal policy:

  i)             the snow removal policy BE REVIEWED to reduce its mandated snow removal minimums and clearing thresholds in order to prioritize pedestrian pathways, access to bus shelters and ensure that people with mobility challenges or requiring wheelchairs are able to navigate the city, even in inclement weather; it being noted that the ACCAC recommends reducing the threshold to the same as street level, one inch of accumulation;

  ii)            the clearing of bus stops and accessible parking areas BE PRIORITIZED in snow removal clearing; and,

  iii)           a public awareness campaign BE IMPLEMENTED, designed to reach out to members of the general public and local businesses, encouraging them to clear sidewalks, with an understanding that accumulation or post-clearing compacted snow and ice poses significant barriers to accessibility; it being noted that the ACCAC recommends encouraging citizens to clear and salt/sand the sidewalks and entryways in their general vicinity.

5.

Items for Discussion

5.1

City of London 2013-2017 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan – Annual Status Update

• That it BE NOTED that the City of London 2013-2017 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan Annual Status Update, submitted by M. Stone, Supervisor I, Policy Development, was received.

5.2

ACCAC Deferred Matters List

• That the following actions be taken with respect to the Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACCAC) Deferred Matters List:

  a)            the Civic Administration BE REQUESTED to provide the ACCAC with an update on the following two items from the Mayor’s meeting with members of the ACCAC in June, 2018:

  i)             the creation of a “past-chair” non-voting position on the ACCAC; and,

  ii)            the active recruitment for ACCAC voting and non-voting positions; and,

  b)            the Civic Administration BE REQUESTED to attend a future meeting of the ACCAC to speak to the status of the City of London Facility Accessibility Design Standards Manual (FADS).

6.

Deferred Matters/Additional Business

6.1

(ADDED) Next Meeting Date

• That the next meeting date of the Accessibility Advisory Committee BE MOVED to November 29, 2018.

7.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 5:02 PM.