Advisory Committee on Accessibility

Advisory Committee on Accessibility Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Meeting Invite information https://zoom.us/j/91356047823?pwd=84T4h4KwAtmyWCa4QOSEVwGVzs0M Fw.1 Meeting ID: 9135647823 Passcode: 410957 1. Call to Order 2. Adopt the Agenda 3. Adopt Minutes Subject 3.1. Adopt and approve meeting minutes of the November 17th meeting og the Burlington Advisory Committee on Accessibility Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 3. Adopt Minutes Department Other Type 4. News & Updates Subject 4.1. Tim Williams — Clarification reporting ADA concerns Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 4. News & Updates Department Other Page 1 of 18  Type Recommended Action Subject 4.2. Sophie Sauvé - Pomeroy Park Playground Update Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 4. News & Updates Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront Type Recommended Action 5. Public Forum 6. Department of Public Works - Tech Services Downtown ADA parking Study Subject 6.1. DT ADA Parking Study Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 6. Department of Public Works - Tech Services Downtown ADA parking Study Department Public Works Department Type Recommended Action 7. Other Committee Business Subject 7.1. Adoption and signing of Open and Accessible Meetings Best Practices Letter Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 7. Other Committee Business Department Other Type Recommended Action 8. Adjournment Subject 8.1. Motion to adjourn Page 2 of 18  Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 8. Adjournment Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 9. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements Subject 9.1. This agenda is available in alternative formats upon request. Persons with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate are encouraged to contact 802-865-7000 (voice) or 802-865-7142 (TTY) at least 72 hours in advance so that proper arrangements can be made. The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic infromation. Meeting January 12, 2026 - January Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility - Monday, January 12, 2026, 3:00 PM, Sharon Bushor Conference Room, first floor of City Hall 149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont Category 9. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements Department Council and Board Type Page 3 of 18 DRAFT Page 4 of 18 DRAFT Page 5 of 18 DRAFT Page 6 of 18 DRAFT Page 7 of 18 Downtown Accessible (ADA) Parking Study Burlington Advisory Committee On Accessibility (BACA) Monday, January 12 th, 2026 Page 8 of 18 Agenda • Purpose & Background • ADA Parking Basics • Study Area • Next Steps & Committee Discussion Page 9 of 18 Purpose & Background Purpose: • Recent curb, construction, and downtown changes warrant an update • ADA compliance is a federal requirement, not optional • Downtown is a high-demand destination for residents and visitors • Accessible parking is often the first and last link in a person’s trip downtown 4/14/2015 3 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 10 of 18  Purpose & Background • City completed a downtown ADA parking review in 2018 • Improvements included re-striping, signage updates, and space adjustments • This study builds on that work • Conditions and standards have changed since 2018 4/14/2015 4 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 11 of 18 ADA Parking Basics Standard accessible stall width: 8 feet minimum Access aisle: 5 feet minimum (8 feet for van-accessible spaces) Van-accessible stall: 11 feet stall with 5 foot aisle or 8 foot stall with 8 foot aisle Vertical clearance (van spaces): 98 inches minimum Slope: Maximum 2 percent in any direction for stall and access aisle Surface: Firm, stable, slip-resistant Signage: Vertical sign with International Symbol of Accessibility mounted so bottom of sign is at least 60 inches above ground 4/14/2015 5 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 12 of 18 Reasonable Accommodations • Downtown Burlington has limited space and competing demands for access • In some locations, meeting every ADA design standard may not be feasible due to physical constraints • ADA recognizes the concept of reasonable accommodation • A reasonable accommodation is a practical and feasible modification to rules, policies, or practices that provides access for a person with a disability • The City must make reasonable accommodations to provide an equal opportunity to access and use public facilities, services, or spaces • When full compliance is not achievable, the City seeks the best achievable, defensible solution that improves access 4/14/2015 6 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 13 of 18 Study Area 4/14/2015 City of Burlington Designated Downtown Core 7 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 14 of 18  Next Steps • Wait until spring thaw to conduct the field study • Staff will review existing accessible spaces to see if adjustments or relocations are needed • Identify areas that may require new accessible spaces • Gather feedback from residents, visitors, and stakeholders • Use findings to prioritize improvements and guide future actions 4/14/2015 8 Park Burlington | Public Meeting 2 Page 15 of 18 Thank you! Questions? Phillip Peterson, PE Senior Transportation Engineer & Planner ppeterson@burlingtonvt.gov (802)598-8356 Page 16 of 18 Date: To: Mayor, Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, CC: Chief Administrative Officer, Katherine Schad From: Burlington Advisory Committee on Accessibility Subject: Open and Accessible Meetings - Recommended Best Practices Dear Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, Since the resolution passed approximately one year ago recognizing the Burlington Advisory Committee on Accessibility as a formal City Committee, our members have been working diligently to support the City of Burlington in becoming increasingly open and accessible to all people with disabilities. We will soon be outlining these accomplishments in our annual report. Looking ahead, we are focusing on several goals for the upcoming year. One key priority is ensuring that all City of Burlington public meetings follow consistent best practices that promote accessibility for people of all abilities. It has come to our attention that there are inconsistencies across departments regarding how open meetings are made accessible to the public. To address this, we would like to provide all City departments with updated recommendations on best practices related to accessibility so that all residents are better able to participate. In developing these recommendations, we reviewed several national and municipal resources on accessibility best practices and engaged in committee discussions informed by members’ lived experiences. Page 17 of 18 We respectfully recommend that the following best practices be implemented for all public meetings to ensure broad accessibility: • Speakers should identify themselves prior to speaking, including when addressing other committee members or offering remarks on agenda items. • Provide clear instructions for accessing meeting locations, including information on physical accessibility for those using mobility aids. For hybrid meetings, ensure clear instructions on how to join and participate online. • Adjust meeting agendas so that information about obtaining materials in alternate formats (e.g., minutes, presentations, agendas) is displayed prominently. • Maintain meeting minutes and presentation materials in formats compatible with commonly used screen readers. • Ensure closed captioning is active and available whenever possible—both for online participants and for those attending in person. • To improve comprehension for individuals with cognitive or language-processing disabilities, maintain minutes, presentations, and discussion summaries at an approximate fifth-grade comprehension level. • Thank you for your consideration and support in ensuring that the Queen City is accessible to people of all abilities. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, City of Burlington Accessibility Committee Page 18 of 18