Proposed Hotel – From An Accessibility Perspective

How accessible is a hotel that provides no accessible parking and stairs?

Last fall I asked what accessibility guidelines the town provides to developers? who ensures accessibility is included in the site plan review? 

Deputy CAO Osborne wrote, in part, that Administration reviews site plans and drawings for compliance with legislative requirements.

While I awaited administration’s answer, I emailed Architectural Design Associates (ADA) about the proposed hotel: one of the pictures depicts stairs at the rear entrance to the building. how accessible will the stairs be? also, how many accessible units are proposed?

I followed up with ADA but still received no response.

Following the mandatory April 11, 2023 4:30 pm meeting, I have more questions about public safety and accessibility:

  • How will council be satisfied that undue traffic hazards would not arise?
  • Did Windsor Police Service provide a ‘fulsome’ report? 
  • Was public safety regarding the rental of electric scooters considered? 
  • Were municipalities like Toronto and Paris that banned electric scooters compared? 
  • Were statistics regarding the number of injuries and deaths from electric scooters considered? 
  • How will bike rentals be accessible if they are located downstairs?
  • How will people using mobility devices access the restaurant at the back of the building if stairs pose a barrier? 
  • How would a person using a mobility device exit through the back stairs in an emergency?
  • How is the restaurant accessible if people with hidden disabilities have to travel to the front building entrance?
  • How will ‘fully accessible’ be interpreted, by whom and by what standards? 
  • If the hotel has two accessible rooms, where will people with disabilities park? 
  • Has walking distance from available parking for persons with various types of disabilities been considered?
  • If streets are not closed, and a person with a disability is dropped off in front of the hotel, will curb cuts be installed to enable access by persons with disabilities who use wheeled assistive devices? 
  • Does the magnitude of the development warrant the provision of parking spaces for persons with disabilities?
  • Has public health and safety concerns, as mentioned in the Provincial Policy Statement, been addressed? 
  • Has ‘improving accessibility for persons with disabilities and older persons by addressing land use barriers which restrict their full participation in society’ as mentioned in the Provincial Policy Statement been considered?
  • As mentioned in the Official Plan, in reviewing development applications, has serious consideration been given to the creation of a barrier free environment?
  • Also as mentioned in the Official Plan, has the town encouraged developers to provide barrier free developments?
  • Do Zoning By-law parking requirements for 1.25 spaces per unit of a hotel conflict with the Official Plan?