Access Appeals Commission - August 26, 2015 - Minutes
ACCESS APPEALS COMMISSION
MINUTES approved 9/9/2015
Regular Meeting Wednesday, August 26, 2015
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by President Arnie Lerner at 1:10 P.M.
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mr. Arnie Lerner, President
Mr. William Ellsworth, Vice-President
Ms. Alyce G. Brown
Mr. Walter Park
CITY REPRESENTATIVES: Mr. Rick Halloran, Secretary
Ms. Betty Lee, Recording Secretary
President Lerner requested Secretary Halloran to contact Commissioner Vernali on the status of his health and provide an update on when commissioners’ term expires.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT: (DISCUSSION)
There was none.
3. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: (ACTION)
Vote to postpone the draft minutes from the June 10, 2015 meeting. Approved.
4. TRAINING OF THE JULY 1, 2015 CODE UPDATES BY RICHARD HALLORAN AND HISTORICAL BUILDING CODES BY ARNIE LERNER: (DISCUSSION)
Secretary Halloran presented on Chapter 11B July 1, 2015 code updates.
President Lerner requested to ask Media Services about upgrading the resolution on the wall screen due to the difficulty to view presentations.
Training on Historical Building Code will be postponed to next regular meeting. President Lerner directed Secretary Halloran to invite Chris Bailey from DBI and Tim Frye from Planning to attend.
5. REVIEW OF COMMUNICATION ITEMS: (DISCUSSION)
Commissioner Park provided updates on the Tang Ordinance. He stated that the July 7th draft Ordinance was moved forward to hearings with support from Small Business Commission and BOMA. The Ordinance may have a possible approval date of October 2015, and an effective date on January 2016. There may be 9,000 – 20,000 public accommodations in San Francisco that will fall under the 4 compliance categories to make front entry accessible. Category 1 and 2 will be required to file compliance form by January 2017. Compliance form fee is $180 and will help create funding for new staff.
Landlord and tenant’s responsibilities, public accommodations in Chinatown, front doors and bathrooms were discussed.
Commissioner Park outlined several tasks to accomplish for the pre-approved program:
• Produce documents in advance such as flyers and guidebooks
• Indirectly provide a list of commercial vendors
• Notification to landlords and tenants
• Outreach through a series of community meetings
• Define technical infeasibility and unreasonable hardship
• Put together a database
Commissioner Park also pointed out the common problem with front door involves sidewalk encroachment. An interdepartmental effort is need to get DPW to allow encroachment for entry access.
Commissioner Brown suggested to notify all landlords instead of small business, since landlords are the responsible party. Commissioner Park said the lease may make tenants liable and the Ordinance mentioned 2 kinds of technical infeasibilities: physical and legal.
Commissioner Brown requested to have City Attorney Judy Boyajian to attend next meeting. Commissioner Park seconded it.
Discussion will continue in the next regular meeting.
6. COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS: (DISCUSSION)
Secretary Halloran will assemble guidance materials related to accessibility and the Tang Ordinance in thumb drives for the Commissioners. Secretary Halloran asked for the Commissioners to send him any relevant resources.
9. ADJOURNMENT: (ACTION)
The meeting was adjourned at 2:40 P.M.
Thank you,
Rick Halloran
Senior Building Inspector
Department of Building Inspection
Secretary to the Access Appeals Commission