COUNTY NEWS RELEASE

Beginning November 1, the WT Group, an engineering consultant group, will be working with the Los Alamos County Community Services Department to conduct a physical audit of parks, trails, and recreation facilities for compliance with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.  

The ADA Audit and Transition Plan is a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under this federal civil rights law, Los Alamos County is prohibited from discrimination  based on disability. The law imposes several affirmative mandates including an audit of all  existing parks and facilities, and a phased schedule of retrofit, known as a transition plan. These two tasks are described in the 2010 Standards Title II regulation, 28 CFR part 35.  

The project requires public input from the community about barriers to using outdoor facilities  and amenities. This input helps identify the access preferences and priorities of persons with  disabilities. 

Key Project Tasks 

– Begin physical audit of facilities on November 1  

– Host public meeting with stakeholders via Zoom on November 30 (two sessions); details  to follow 

– Conduct statistically valid online survey on ADA accessibility to County parks, trails,  and recreation sites 

– Review public facing policies 

– Hold follow-up public meeting to review findings and seek input regarding priorities Deliverables 

– Audit documents for each park, trail, and recreation facility 

– Transition plan with estimated cost and prioritized timeline for implementation 

The project is expected to last six months with the final draft presented to Los Alamos County Parks and Recreation Board in spring of 2022 for consideration of approval by the County Council. You can follow the progress of this project at https://tinyurl.com/LAC-ADA-plan or contact Cory Styron, Community Services Director, cory.styron@lacnm.us.