ARCHITECTURAL ACCESSIBILITY BOARD

Thomas Collins Building

540 South DuPont Highway, Suite 1

Dover, Delaware 19901

(302) 739-5644

Thursday, June 14, 2007

2:00 P.M.

MINUTES

I. CALL TO ORDER

The June 14, 2007 meeting of the Architectural Accessibility Board was called to order by the Acting Chairman, Chang Yoon. The record will show that, in addition to Mr. Yoon, the following members were present: Deana Forrest and Keener Cobb. Also participating in the meeting (by phone) were Nash Childs and Armando Liberti.

II. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

A motion to approve the minutes of the Board’s previous meeting held on May 6, 2007 was made and seconded. By a unanimous vote, the minutes were approved as recorded.

III. DISCUSSION OF AGENDA

The Chief Administrator added eight (8) cases to the agenda as follows:

1. 05028-RE Woodbridge SD Athletic Field/Pole Barn

2. 07004-RE Cape Henlopen Life Skills & Respite Center

3 07013-RE DSU Strength/Conditioning Addition

4 07024 Hawkwatch/Mill Race Parking Lots

5 007025 Bellevue/Cauffiel Parking Lots

6 07026 DE Veterans Memorial Cemetary

7 07027 Commodore Commons

8 07029 DTC Newark Transit Center

IV. CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR’S UP-DATE

The Chief Administrator reported to the Board on his activities for the past two months. The activities were routine in nature and brief highlights were given on field inspections, complaint issues and/or project updates.

V. SUBMISSIONS COMMITTEE REPORT

At their May 24, 2007 meeting, the Submissions Review Committee reviewed four (4) cases. These cases were forwarded to the full Board for their review. The Board’s comments and actions on these cases, and the additional eight (8) cases submitted by the Chief Administrator, are attached as a part of these minutes.

VI. OLD BUSINESS

The matter of the newly constructed Veteran’s Home was discussed again. It was alledged that several accessibility violations are present and were observed during a recent “walk-thru” of the facility. The Administrator said that these allegations would be investigated and the appropriate personnel would be advised as to what, if anything, may need to be done to correct any non-compliant items.

VII. NEW BUSINESS

The question of altering an existing lighthouse to be accessible was discussed. It seems that Delaware’s Department of State is considering opening up one of its lighthouses to the public for scenic viewing. In other words, the lighthouse would be altered to allow the general public the opportunity to ascend to the top of the lighthouse for the purpose of viewing the surrounding scenery. Normally, such a facility would not be required to be accessible. However, to alter this facility to become a place of public accommodation may, in fact, require a certain amount of accessibility. The discussion led to no clear understanding of what might be required, per the ADA. The Administrator would research this matter to see how such situations may have been previously handled, per ADA requirements.

VIII. SCHEDULE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Architectural Accessibility Board is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, 2007. The location and time will be determined at a later date.

IX. ADJOURNMENT

With nothing further to discuss or review, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan A. Muterspaw

Chief Administrator

DAM/bls E:\AAB\AAB Meetings\2007\06142007minutes.doc

Attachment

Cc: Board Members

Robert Furman, Dir., DFM

SUBMISSION NO. / 05028-RE
OWNER / Woodbridge School District
PROJECT / Agriculture/Athletic Field
Renovations
ARCH/ENGINEER / K & L Designs
CONTACT PERSON / Karl Layton
Brian Bassett
PREVIOUS ACTION / Approved – Oct. ‘05
COMMENTS / Part of the initial project was the construction of a pole barn to be used for equipment storage. The school has decided to construct a pole barn that is now larger than the one reviewed and approved two years ago The previous plans have not been altered, except for the enlarged pole barn. Accessibility has not been reduced.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 06054E
OWNER / DNREC/ Parks and Recreation
PROJECT / Lewis Boat Ramp
ARCH/ENGINEER / Andrews, Miller & Associates, Inc.
CONTACT PERSON / Gary O. Williams
PREVIOUS ACTION / Not approved – October ‘06
COMMENTS / The disapproval by the AAB was mainly due to insufficient information on the plans and drawings initially submitted. Accessible parking and the accessible path to the boarding pier were the main problems. A new set of revised and more complete drawings have been received and these concerns have been addressed so that the plans now appear to be correct.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07004- RE
OWNER / DNREC
PROJECT / Cape Henlopen Life Skills & Respite Center
New Construction
ARCH/ENGINEER / French + Ryan, Inc.
CONTACT PERSON / Alvin French
Mike Sollazzo
PREVIOUS ACTION / Not approved – March and May ‘07
COMMENTS / The most recent veto of this plan was due to the use of ‘thumb keyed’ locks. This was confusing and is not really a lock operated with the thumb. The nomenclature has been changed to reflect that there will be keylocks and button locks with non-keyed egress. Accessibility requirements will be met at all of these egress doors.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07013- RE
OWNER / Dept. of Education
PROJECT / Delaware State University
Strength/Conditioning Addition
ARCH/ENGINEER / Holzman Moss Architects
CONTACT PERSON / Ben Caldwell
PREVIOUS ACTION / Not approved – May ‘07
COMMENTS / Numerous design problems were noted on the first set of plans and drawings submitted for this project. Many of the problems dealt with the toilet rooms not being compliant. Most of these errors have been corrected, but there are still problems with side grab bars being too short (TR nos. 101 & 102) and not providing sufficient maneuvering space at the toilet fixtures (TR nos. 203 & 209). Also, the note for providing ‘temporary’ accessible parking was not clearly understood.
BOARD ACTION / Disapproved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07021
OWNER / DelDOT/State Trans. Funds
PROJECT / Milford Boys/Girls Club
New Construction
ARCH/ENGINEER / R. Calvin Clendaniel Associates
CONTACT PERSON / Bob Clendaniel
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / A new Boys & Girls Club is being constructed. In addition to the main building, there will be an indoor swimming pool and numerous outdoor athletic fields. Design problems were noted on the plans and drawings. They include, but may not be limited to, the following:
1.  Several of the new parking lots either do not have accessible parking spaces, or have an insufficient number of accessible spaces.
2.  There is no curb ramp detail.
3.  Several curb ramps do not include the required level landing area at the top of the ramp.
4.  There doesn’t appear to be an accessible path of travel to any of the athletic fields.
5.  Extensions on step/stair handrails must extend in the direction of travel of the step or stair.
6.  There are no vertical grab bars in any of the toilet rooms and/or accessible stalls.
7.  There are no ambulatory toilet stalls.
8.  Two toilet rooms (nos. 126A & 122A) do not have the required maneuvering spaces required at the fixtures.
9.  Roll in showers must be a minimum of 60 inches in length.
10.  There doesn’t appear to be a minimum of 48 inches between doors in the vestibule area.
11.  The sloped entry (ramp run) into the pool cannot extend farther than 30 feet.
12.  The sloped entry into the pool cannot extend below 30 inches of the stationary water level.
13.  Ramp handrails (pool) cannot be more than 38 inches apart.
14.  There doesn’t appear to be any accessible seating in the pool bleacher area.
BOARD ACTION / Disapproved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07022
OWNER / Dept. of State
PROJECT / Townsend Building
3rd Floor Alterations/Toilet Room Upgrades
ARCH/ENGINEER / Mahaffy & Associates
CONTACT PERSON / Scott Parlow
Elrita Annett
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / The majority of the work for this project will consist of upgrades to the mechanical system. However, two 3rd floor toilet rooms will be altered to comply with accessibility standards. Although the detail includes accessible fixtures, the plans do not show accessible urinals in either of the two men’s rooms. All other elements and/or spaces are correct.
BOARD ACTION / Disapproved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07023
OWNER / DHSS
PROJECT / Stockley Group Home
New Construction
ARCH/ENGINEER / Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc.
CONTACT PERSON / Larry Sheridan
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / The design for this new group home is completely accessible and complies with all relevant standards. Both front and rear entrances lead to accessible paths of travel.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07024
OWNER / DNREC/Parks and Recreation
PROJECT / Hawkwatch/Mill Race Parking Lots
Brandywine Creek State Park
ARCH/ENGINEER / Century Engineering
CONTACT PERSON / Phillip Gallo
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / The Hawkwatch parking lot will be reduced in size, while the Mill Race lot will be expanded. Both lots have the appropriate accessible parking. The accessible paths leading from these lots have slopes of less than 5%. Compliance has been achieved in all aspects of this project.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07025
OWNER / DNREC./Parks and Recreation
PROJECT / Bellevue (main) Parking and Cauffiel Parking Lots
Bellevue State Park
ARCH/ENGINEER / In-house design
CONTACT PERSON / Phillip Gallo
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / This project will alter two separate parking lots at the Bellevue facility. The main lot will be reconstructed, while the smaller Cauffiel lot will be expanded to allow for additional parking, when needed. Both lots are fully compliant with accessibility standards. In addition, two toilet rooms (the comfort station) will be upgraded to be accessible. Compliance has been achieved in the re-design of these toilet rooms.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07026
OWNER / Department of State
PROJECT / Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetary
Admin. Building Alterations
ARCH/ENGINEER / Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects, PC
CONTACT PERSON / Larry Schrock
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / Two vestibule areas of the Administration Building will be altered. The doors will be relocated and each area will be enclosed (on opposite sides of the building). The problem with the design of this project is that the ‘path of travel’ provision of the ADA was not included/followed. The exterior accessible parking is not compliant nor are the two toilet rooms serving this primary function area.
BOARD ACTION / Disapproved
SUBMISSION NO. / 07027
OWNER / Delaware Health and Social Services
PROJECT / Commodore Commons
New Construction – Site Plan
ARCH/ENGINEER / Becker Morgan Group
CONTACT PERSON / Chris Duke
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / This project proposes the construction of two buildings to be used for retail and for offices. Only the site plan/layout was submitted for review. The parking plan, as well as the accessible paths to the new buildings, has been designed to be compliant with the accessibility standards. The only problem noted was that there was no indication of there being a color contrast on the detectable warnings for the curb ramps.
BOARD ACTION / Approved the site plan, contingent on there being an approved color contrast for detectable warnings on all curb ramps.
SUBMISSION NO. / 07029
OWNER / DelDOT/DTC
PROJECT / New Bus Stop/Transit Center
Newark, DE
ARCH/ENGINEER / In-house design
CONTACT PERSON / John Kotula
PREVIOUS ACTION / None
COMMENTS / A new bus stop is being planned for the Newark area. It will be located at the northern end of the Newark Shopping Center, adjacent to their parking lot. In reality, this will be more of a transfer station for numerous busses, rather than just a stop. No parking will be provided, but there is an accessible route to the adjacent parking area. The design is compliant with all accessibility requirements.
BOARD ACTION / Approved
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