To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Memorandum of Understanding by and between the County of Humboldt and California State Parks for the Installation of an ADA Accessible Beach Access Mat at Clam Beach County Park and Little River State Beach.
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve and Authorize the Director of Public Works to execute the Memorandum of Understanding by and between the County of Humboldt and California State Parks for the installation of an ADA accessible beach access mat at Clam Beach County Park and Little River State Beach.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
ADA Internal Service Fund (3552)
DISCUSSION:
On Sept. 7, 2016, the county entered into a consent decree with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) that required the commencement of the Humboldt County Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Project. The purpose of the Humboldt County ADA Compliance Project is to bring all county-owned and leased facilities that provide programs, services, and activities to the public into compliance with the ADA. Clam Beach County Park (Clam Beach) was one of the facilities listed in the consent decree as having barriers to access as defined under the ADA. In particular, Clam Beach lacked an accessible path from the site arrival points to the wave slope making it difficult for persons with mobility disabilities to access the wave slope.
The ADA Compliance team researched numerous proposed solutions including building permanent structures to provide an accessible route to the wave slope. After conducting a third-party environmental impact review as well as holding internal discussions with County Parks (Parks), it was determined that a permanent structure would not be a suitable solution in that it would be difficult to maintain, cost prohibitive to construct, could adversely impact endangered species or critical habitats and would detract from the natural beauty of the beach. It was determined that a semi-permanent beach access mat would be the appropriate solution to provide beach access for persons with mobility disabilities. The proposed mat is designed to provide an accessible path from the existing accessible parking lot to the wave slope that self-adjusts with the changing sand and beach conditions and can be easily rolled up and repositioned to accommodate ever changing tidal and weather conditions. The mat will be placed and regularly maintained by Parks staff. The mat will allow wheelchair users, beach wheelchair users and persons with mobility disabilities access to the wave slope.
Clam Beach has several beach access points within the park boundaries. After field investigations as well as a third-party environmental review, it was determined that the Clam Beach north day use lot would be the beach access location appropriate for the installation of the access mat as it has a relatively straight path from the site arrival point to the wave slope, it will not adversely impact endangered species or critical habitats and it already has the width required to accommodate the new mat. This beach access point crosses from county owned property onto Little River State Beach which is property owned and maintained by California State Parks (State Parks).
In early 2021, the ADA Compliance team and Parks staff met with State Parks and came to the agreement that the county would seek permits from the authorities having jurisdiction, purchase, install and maintain the mat and in return State Parks would authorize the county to place the mat on state property. Both parties agreed that in the event that improvements, repairs or modifications are required for the beach mat that both State Parks and the county will seek to contribute funding for the costs of enacting such improvements.
Before your Board today is the approval and authorization for the Director of Public Works to execute the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by and between the county and State Parks for a five-year agreement for the purchase, installation and maintenance of the beach mat that will be installed at Clam Beach County Park and Little River State Park.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The estimated cost to purchase and install the accessible beach access mat at Clam Beach is $33,000. The ADA Compliance budget (3552-152) has sufficient funds budgeted in the current fiscal year for this project.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by fostering transparent, accessible, welcoming and user friendly services and provides for and maintains infrastructure.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California State Parks
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could choose not to approve the recommendations to authorize the Director of Public Works to execute the MOU with California State Parks however, this is not recommended as accessible beach access at Clam Beach is an access barrier identified by the DOJ in the 2016 consent decree and installation of the beach access mat at Clam Beach north day use lot is the only beach access location where the installation will not adversely impact endangered species or critical habitats.
ATTACHMENTS:
Memorandum of Understanding by and between the County of Humboldt and California State Parks
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A