Advisory Commission on Disabilities

400 S. Eagle Street City of Naperville Naperville, IL 60540 Meeting Minutes - Final Advisory Commission on Disabilities Wednesday, August 2, 2023 6:30 PM Meeting Room A A. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Briggs called the meeting to order 6:30 PM. B. ROLL CALL: Present 6- Mikel Briggs, Donielle Deering, Sherry Huang, Allison Longenbaugh, Suhel Siddiqui, and Ghousia Wajid Absent 1- Thomas Wronski Also present: Miranda Barfuss, CDBG Administrator; Mary Hamill, Chair of the Accessible Community Task Force (ACTF); Greg Mason, ACTF member; Brigid Mason, ACTF member; Vicki Ponzo, resident; Les Willenth, resident. C. PUBLIC FORUM: Vicki Ponzo and Les Willenth requested an update regarding incorporating visitability practices for new housing construction in the City. Hamill replied that she has an update in her Accessible Community Task Force report. D. REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Introduction of Councilwoman Allison Longenbaugh as the City Council representative to the Advisory Commission on Disabilities Chairman Briggs welcomed Councilwoman Longenbaugh. 2. Receive an update from the Accessible Community Task Force Hamill reported that the task force began working on creating a Visitability Statement and letter to developers following the November 2022 Meeting. The statement is now on the city's website and they are planning to present the benefits of vistability at a September Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. The statement emphasizes three items in home construction: (1) Zero-step entrance, (2) Minimum 36" widths for ground-floor doorways and hallways, (3) Ground floor bathroom with blocking added to the underlying structure to ease the future installation of grab bars. Mason and Mason discussed accessible modifications they had completed in their home. Hamill reported that ACTF members have participated in the Riverwalk City of Naperville Page 1 Printed on 2/8/2024 Advisory Commission on Meeting Minutes - Final August 2, 2023 Disabilities Planning, Design and Construction Committee meetings; the review committee for the Community Development Block Grant allocations; Representative Janet Yang Rohr's Diversity & Inclusion Citizen's Advisory Panel; a local legislators roundtable discussion on disabilities; the Downtown Streetscape Improvement Project; the Naperville Park District's website focus group; District 203's Partners in Growth Family Resource Fair; and presented the Naperville Student Recognition Awards with the City Council. She went on to say that the ACTF has been a strong proponent of the Tower Court Apartments development. Deering reported that the project did not receive funding from the Illinois Housing Development Authority this year, which will delay the project by at least a year. Hamill stated a concern that employee entrance door in the lower level parking garage of the municipal center is not handicap accessible due to its weight. Barfuss reported that while the entrance will remain an employee entrance, rather than a public entrance due to security concerns, the availability of ADA parking at the municipal center was recently reviewed by the TED department was found to be compliant, however one or more ADA spaces from the lower level may be moved to the upper level, where the public entrance is located. Chairman Briggs reported that municipal center accessibility is within the purview of the Advisory Commission on Disabilities and Barfuss agreed that the recommendation to review the weight of the entrance door will be brought to the attention of the public buildings operations department. E. OLD BUSINESS: 1. Approve the minutes of the: February 3, 2021; May 5, 2021; August 4, 2021; November 3, 2021; February 2, 2022; and November 2, 2022 Advisory Commission on Disabilities meetings Commissioner Briggs made a motion to approve the Advisory Commission on Disabilities minutes of February 2, 2021; May 5, 2021; August 4, 2021; November 3, 2021; February 2, 2022 and November 2, 2022, seconded by Siddiqui. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote. Aye: 4- Briggs, Deering, Huang, Siddiqui, and Wajid Excused: 1- Longenbaugh, and Wronski F: NEW BUSINESS Briggs requested that staff review the potential to expand the Commission's ability to assist the public, particularly those that attend public forum and provide assistance to the ACTF. Barfuss and Longenbaugh noted that the City Manager's office, along with the Mayor, are currently reviewing each City of Naperville Board and Commission's charter, scope and effectiveness. Barfuss shared that the open participation period for the 2023 Naperville Community Survey has begun and encouraged all attending to complete the survey. City of Naperville Page 2 Printed on 2/8/2024 Advisory Commission on Meeting Minutes - Final August 2, 2023 Disabilities G. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Deering made a motion to adjourn the regular Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting of August 2, 2023 at 7:18 PM, seconded by Briggs. The motion was approved by unanimous voice vote. /S/ Miranda Barfuss Miranda Barfuss CDBG Administrator City of Naperville Page 3 Printed on 2/8/2024