Advocates Work to Overcome Accessibility Barriers
ARISE advocates met with City of Syracuse zoning officials early in May 2009 to urge them to consider a streamlined process for the construction of accessibility ramps requiring a variance. Many times a variance is needed before a permit is issued because the ramps don’t meet the City’s “set back” requirements. Set back refers to the distance a structure is from public walks, the neighbor’s lot line, or other areas. In older neighborhoods it can be nearly impossible to build within the confines of set back regulations. Because of this, ARISE currently has four ramp construction permit applications pending in Syracuse, all of them held up by the need for a variance.
Advocates argue that a temporary ramp, in particular, should not be subject to the same lengthy review process needed to gain a variance to build permanent structures, such as a garage or deck. Advocates further argue that when people with mobility impairments are forced to wait months for a ramp, they are not only cut off from participating in their community, they face health and safety risks since they are unable to leave their homes independently.
To learn more about the issue, click the link below to read the story written by Jim Kenyon of NBC Channel 3/CBS Channel 5: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=300578
If you’d rather watch the NBC/CBS video coverage, click the link below: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/video.aspx?id=300578