Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Recreation Facilities and Outdoor Developed Areas; Proposed Rule ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board

(Access Board) announces that its Recreation Access Advisory Committee

has issued a report with recommendations for making recreation

facilities and outdoor developed areas readily accessible to and usable

by individuals with disabilities. Single copies of the report may be

obtained from the Access Board. The Access Board will use the

committee's report to develop a notice of proposed rulemaking

establishing accessibility guidelines for newly constructed and altered

recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas under the Americans

with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act. The Access

Board seeks public comment on the committee's report and will consider

the comments along with the report as it develops the notice of

proposed rulemaking.

DATES: Comments should be received by December 20, 1994. Comments

received after this date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Office of Technical and

Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers

Compliance Board, 1331 F Street NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-

1111. Comments will be available for inspection at the above address

from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on regular business days.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy H. Greenwell, Office of

Technical and Information Services, Architectural and Transportation

Barriers Compliance Board, 1331 F Street NW., suite 1000, Washington,

DC 20004-1111. Telephone number (202) 272-5434 ext. 34 (Voice); (202)

272-5449 (TTY). These are not toll-free numbers. This document is

available in alternate formats (cassette tape, braille, large print, or

computer disk) upon request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Advisory Committee Report

Single copies of the Recreation Access Advisory Committee's report

may be obtained at no cost by calling the Access Board's automated

publications order line (202-272-5434), pressing 1 on the telephone

keypad, then 1 again and requesting publication S26 (Recreation

Report). Persons using a TTY should call 202-272-5449. Please record a

name, address and telephone number. Persons who want a copy in an

alternate format, should specify the type of format (audio cassette

tape, braille, large print, or computer disk).

Background

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board

(Access Board) is responsible for developing accessibility guidelines

under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to ensure that new

construction and alterations of facilities covered by the law are

readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.\1\

The Access Board initially issued the Americans with Disabilities Act

Accessibility Guidelines in 1991. 36 CFR part 1191. ADAAG contains

scoping provisions and technical specifications for designing parking

areas, entrances, toilet rooms and other elements and spaces that

typically comprise a building and its site so that individuals with

disabilities will have ready access to and use of the facility. ADAAG

also contains additional provisions for certain types of facilities,

including restaurants, medical care facilities, business and mercantile

establishments, libraries, transient lodging, and transportation

facilities.\2\

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\1\The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. 12101 et

seq.) is a comprehensive Civil Rights law which prohibits

discrimination on the basis of disability and requires, among other

things, that newly constructed and altered State and local

government building, places of public accommodation, and commercial

facilities be accessible to and usable by individuals with

disabilities.

\2\The Access Board recently issued an interim final rule that

adds provisions to ADAAG for certain State and local government

facilities, including judicial, legislative and regulatory

facilities; detention and correction facilities; residential

housing; and public rights-of-way. 59 FR 31676 (June 20, 1994).

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Various types of recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas

are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Newly constructed

and altered recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas are

currently required to comply with ADAAG, as adopted by the Department

of Justice as the standards for accessible design (28 CFR 36.406),

where its provisions can be applied. For example, parking areas,

entrances, toilet rooms, restaurants, and mercantile establishments

that are part of newly constructed and altered recreation facilities

and outdoor developed areas must comply with ADAAG.3

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\3\State and local governments currently have the option of

using ADAAG or an earlier standard, the Uniform Federal

Accessibility Standards (UFAS), when constructing or altering

facilities under the Department of Justice regulations (28 CFR

35.151(c)). The Department of Justice has recently issued a notice

of proposed rulemaking to eliminate this option. 59 FR 31808 (June

20, 1994).

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Recreation facilities and other outdoor developed areas have some

unique features for which additional accessibility guidelines need to

be developed. In July 1993, the Access Board convened an advisory

committee as the first step in developing these guidelines. The

committee was comprised of owners and operators of recreation

facilities; persons who design recreation facilities or manufacture

related equipment; local, State and Federal officials responsible for

parks and other outdoor developed areas; and individuals with

disabilities and organizations representing their interests.

The committee was requested to accomplish the following objectives

within one year:

Develop a list of the various types of recreation

facilities and outdoor developed areas;

Identify the features of each facility type that are not

adequately addressed by ADAAG;

Consider any unique design issues or constraints affecting

access to each facility type;

Review any existing voluntary guidelines for providing

access to the various facility types; and

Make recommendations for accessibility guidelines for each

facility type.

The committee organized itself into six subcommittees based on

facility types to accomplish these objectives: Sports facilities;

places of amusement; play settings; golf; boating and fishing

facilities; and outdoor developed areas.

The committee met five times between July 1993 and May 1994.

Committee members spent most of their time working in subcommittees

which reported to the full committee. The subcommittees also worked

between committee meetings. Committee meetings were well attended by

persons interested in the committee's work and public comment was

received at each meeting. The subcommittees also encouraged interested

persons to participate in their work, including providing information

and reviewing draft reports. More than 250 people actively participated

in the committee's and subcommittees' work and collectively gave

between 50,000 and 60,000 hours of their time.

In July 1994, the committee formally presented its report to the

Access Board. During the next year, the Access Board will review the

committee's report and develop a notice of proposed rulemaking to

establish accessibility guidelines for newly constructed and altered

recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas under the Americans

with Disabilities Act. The Access Board is also responsible for

developing accessibility guidelines for federally financed facilities

under the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq.) and

anticipates that the notice of proposed rulemaking will also apply to

recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas covered under that

law. In view of the significant public interest in the committee's

report and the rulemaking, the Access Board is providing copies of the

committee's report to the public and will receive comments from the

public on the committee's report for a 90-day period from the

publication of this notice. Comments received during this period will

be considered along with the committee's report as the Access Board

develops the notice of proposed rulemaking.

Local, State and Federal government agencies and private entities

which own or operate recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas

are encouraged to review the committee's report and to send their

comments to the Access Board. Individuals with disabilities and their

organizations, and other interested persons are also encouraged to

review and comment on the committee's report.

The committee's report contains recommendations only, and are not

proposed or final accessibility guidelines. As indicated above, the

committee performed most of its work through six subcommittees based on

facility types. The recommendations represent the consensus of the

members of each subcommittee, and not necessarily the full committee.

The subcommittees approached their work with the premise that every

newly constructed and altered recreation facility should be accessible.

Separate facilities or areas for use by individuals with disabilities

were considered to be inconsistent with the purposes of the Americans

with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act. The

subcommittees identified numerous features of recreation facilities

that are not adequately addressed by ADAAG. In some cases, the

subcommittees recommended amending existing ADAAG sections to address

the specific features. In other cases, the subcommittees recommended

new scoping provisions and technical specifications for ADAAG and

drafted guideline language with rationale. The draft guideline language

does not necessarily conform to the ADAAG format and numbering system.

Persons reviewing the committee's report need not comment on the format

of the draft guideline language. The Access Board will address format

issues when it develops the notice of proposed rulemaking. Rather,

persons reviewing the committee's report should focus on the substance

of the recommendations.

The subcommittees also identified a few areas where providing

access could eliminate or change the recreation activity or experience

and proposed possible solutions.4 For example, the sports

facilities subcommittee identified that providing a slip resistant

surface on ice skating rinks would eliminate or change the sport and

recommended that the ice surface of the rink should be exempt from any

slip resistance requirement. In some areas, the subcommittees

recommended that additional information and research were needed for

providing access. Finally, the subcommittees noted several areas where

accessibility guidelines need to be coordinated with other laws and

regulations, including regulations issued by the Department of Justice.

The Access Board will refer these issues to the appropriate agencies,

including the Department of Justice, for their consideration.

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\4\Some subcommittees borrowed the phrase ``fundamentally alter

the nature of the service, program, or activity'' from the

Department of Justice regulations to describe those areas where

providing access could eliminate or change the recreation activity

or experience. The Department of Justice uses this phrase or a

variation of the phrase in its regulations to describe when public

and private entities are relieved of the obligation to make

reasonable modifications in policies, practices or procedures (28

CFR 35.130(b)(7) and 36.302(a)) and when public entities are

relieved from providing program accessibility in existing facilities

(28 CFR 35.150(a)(3)). Although the phrase does not apply to new

construction and alterations, some subcommittees attempted to use

the phrase by analogy when describing a few areas where providing

access may not be practicable or needs to be viewed in light of the

nature of the recreation experience.

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The committee's report is 202 pages and contains many detailed

recommendations which cannot be readily summarized in this notice. To

assist persons reviewing the committee's report, some of the

recommendations are discussed below with questions. The Access Board is

interested in receiving comments on all parts of the committee's report

and encourages persons interested in the rulemaking to review the

entire report. In addition, the Access Board requests comments on the

impact of the committee's report on the safety of all persons using the

facilities and on potential costs of the recommendations in the

committee's report and how these costs could be minimized while

accommodating safety.

Sports Facilities (Pages 1-62)5

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\5\The relevant part of the committee's report is referenced

after each heading and subheading.

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Field-of-Play (Pages 5-6)

The sports facilities subcommittee examined field sports, court

sports, rink sports, and a variety of other sports. Individuals with

disabilities may participate in sports as spectators, players, coaches

or assistants, or may be employees of sports facilities and should have

access to all elements and spaces of the facilities. The subcommittee

recommended that an accessible route be provided to the field-of-play.

The subcommittee observed that in some sports, the field-of-play

consists of grass, artificial turf, sand, soil, ice, or other materials

which do not fully meet the ADAAG requirement that surfaces along

accessible routes and in accessible spaces must be stable, firm and

slip resistant. The subcommittee recommended that where requiring the

playing field surface to be stable, firm and slip resistant would

eliminate or substantially change the sport, an exception to this

requirement should be provided for the field-of-play.

In some sports, the field-of-play may extend to the sideline area

directly adjacent to the boundary of the playing field. For example, in

baseball a player can chase a foul ball beyond the ``within-bounds''

area. The sports facilities subcommittee suggested that designated key

accessible route locations could be safely incorporated into sideline

or ``out-of-bounds'' areas; or temporary, removable surfaces could be

used to provide access to these areas.

Question 1: What are other possible solutions for providing an

accessible route to sideline or ``out-of-bounds'' areas used by

coaches, press and others where the field-of-play may extend to or

overlap these areas? Persons responding to this question are requested

to provide information regarding the location, surface requirements,

and width of an accessible route serving these areas.

Pools (Pages 16-20)

The sports facilities subcommittee also examined access to

pools.\6\ There are many different types of pools such as competition

pools, lap pools, leisure or family pools, and wading or children's

pools. Pools are found in a variety of settings from hotels and other

places of transient lodging to public parks and community centers. The

sports facilities subcommittee identified three means for providing

access into the water: ramps, lifts, and transfer tiers. As discussed

at pages 16-18 of the committee's report, each of these means

accommodates varying capabilities of individuals with disabilities with

no single means best for all users. For example, ramps can facilitate

independence. However, ramps require transfer to an additional chair

and raise concerns regarding buoyance and water resistance for

individuals ascending and descending the ramp. Lift operation may

require individuals with disabilities to seek assistance; and transfer

tiers pose a higher level of physical challenge.

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\6\The places of amusements subcommittee and outdoor developed

areas subcommittee also examined access to pools. See pages 85-88

and 188-189 of the committee's report for those subcommittees'

recommendations.

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The sports facilities subcommittee recommended that one accessible

means of entry into the water should be required and that a range of

alternatives (ramps, lifts, or transfer tiers) should be allowed. The

subcommittee further recommended that where pools exceed a certain

size, two accessible means of entry into the water should be required.

(The subcommittee did not recommend a specific size.) The subcommittee

emphasized that any means of entry into the water should allow for

individuals with disabilities to use pools independently and with

dignity.

Question 2: Given the different types of pools and various means

that individuals with disabilities use for entering the water, should a

range of alternatives (ramps, lifts, or transfer tiers) be allowed for

providing access into the water? If not, should specific means be

required and others not permitted for certain types of pools? Should

requirements be related to the size of the pools, with larger pools

required to provide more than one means of entry into the water? If so,

what size or other criteria should trigger the additional requirement?

If specific means for entering the water are required, should technical

specifications be developed for those means?

Places of Amusement (Pages 63-88)

Amusement Rides (Pages 74-85)

The places of amusement subcommittee examined access to amusement

rides. As defined by the subcommittee, amusement ride systems consist

of amusement devices which carry or move a person or persons on,

around, over or through a fixed or restricted course or within a

defined area for purpose of amusement or entertainment and includes

related elements, facilities and systems. For new construction, the

subcommittee recommended that, to the greatest extent possible, at

least one wheelchair space be provided within the amusement ride system

where the amusement device can accommodate a person seated in a

wheelchair without changing the nature of the amusement ride system or

experience. When an amusement device cannot accommodate a person seated

in a wheelchair, the subcommittee recommended that, to the greatest

extent possible, a means of transfer onto the amusement device be

provided without changing the nature of the amusement ride system or

device. The subcommittee drafted detailed recommended guidelines for

accomplishing a transfer from a wheelchair to the amusement device.

The places of amusement subcommittee recommended that decisions

regarding the type of access provided (roll-on or transfer) be made by

designers on a ride-by-ride basis after considering a variety of

factors, including seating space and configuration, ride speed, forces

and accelerations during normal and emergency operation, riding posture

and center of gravity, restraining systems, and safety of others.

Question 3: Should a percentage of rides in newly constructed

places of amusement provide either roll-on or transfer access for

individuals who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids? It is

acceptable to permit some rides not to provide roll-on or transfer

access and, if so, what should be the criteria for not providing

access? In new construction, is it acceptable that the type of access

provided (roll-on or transfer) be determined on a ride-by-ride basis?

The Access Board is interested in any studies or other data that

provide information on the dynamic effects of forces experienced on

certain rides on individuals with disabilities.

Carnivals and Fairs (Pages 73-74)

The places of amusement subcommittee also examined access to

amusement rides used in temporary places of amusement such as carnivals

and fairs. These amusement rides are transported on trucks and

trailers, and are set up and leveled at different sites for temporary

events. Depending on the terrain, the distance from the ground to ride

may vary from four to six feet. The subcommittee recommended that these

amusement rides comply with the same requirements as amusement rides at

permanent sites.

Question 4: Should amusement rides used in temporary places of

amusement be addressed in the same manner as rides at permanent sites?

The Access Board is interested in receiving information on ways to

provide access to these amusement rides.

Carnivals and fairs may be held on partially improved or unimproved

sites such as city parks, athletic fields, or agricultural fields that

are not specifically designed for the event and that do not provide

stable, firm and slip resistant surfaces required for an accessible

route. The places of amusement subcommittee recommended that where, due

to the temporary nature of the event, changes to topography or surface

conditions would be inconsistent with the primary purpose of the site,

temporary, removable surfaces be used to provide an accessible path to

rides and other attractions.

Question 5: Should temporary places of amusement be required to

meet all the provisions for an accessible route when held on partially

improved or unimproved sites? If not, what provisions should be

modified (e.g., stable, firm and slip resistant surface; slope; cross

slope; width; accessible elements connected)? How should protruding

objects such as tent stakes and lines be addressed?

Play Settings (Pages 89-102)

Accessible Route (Pages 91-93)

The play settings subcommittee examined issues related to providing

access to play areas and equipment. Play settings vary greatly in size

and may be found in schools, day care centers, fast food restaurants,

amusement parks, and public parks. Play is an important social

experience that occurs in many ways within a play area. Play settings

often include play equipment such as slides, swings, ladders, sand play

areas, and open areas for play. Children without disabilities have the

opportunity to maneuver throughout play areas and to access their

choice of play equipment. Designers have a unique challenge in

providing children with disabilities the same access.

Designers usually provide resilient surfaces meeting the ASTM F1292

performance standard within the use zone of play equipment as a safety

measure. (This is also called ``the fall zone.'') Some resilient

surfaces such as sand and wood chips are not stable, firm and slip

resistant and, thus, would not meet the requirements for an accessible

route. The play settings subcommittee considered cost and maintenance

issues related to various types of surfaces and recommended that an

expanded accessible route which is a minimum of 60 inches wide connect

accessible activities within the play area in order to promote social

interaction and use of the play components. This accessible route would

be stable, firm, slip resistant, safe to crawl on, and where within the

use zone of equipment, resilient.

Question 6: Does the play subcommittee's recommendation for an

expanded accessible route adequately address the need for access within

play settings? Persons responding to this question should review pages

91-93 of the committee's report.

Elevated Play Equipment (Pages 93-96)

The play setting subcommittee identified ramps and transfer systems

(transfer platforms, decked platforms, and berms or natural hills) as

means for providing access to elevated play equipment. For larger

composite play structures having 12 or more elevated play components

(or 12 or more elevated play components at one site serving the same

age group), the subcommittee recommended that both ramps and transfer

systems should be required, and that each means access at least one-

half of the elevated play components on the play structure. The

subcommittee further recommended that one-half of the play components

which are accessed by ramps should be required to be like or similar to

those elevated play components that are not accessed by ramps. For

smaller composite play structures having less than 12 elevated play

components, the subcommittee recommended that transfer systems should

be required to access at least one-half of the elevated play

components, and that one-half of those play components be like or

similar to the elevated play components that are not accessible.

Question 7: Should a requirement for ramp access, in addition to

transfer systems, be based on the number of play components? If so,

what number of play components should trigger a ramp requirement, in

addition to transfer systems?

Soft Contained Play Systems (Page 99)

Soft contained play systems are relatively new and are comprised of

fully enclosed, resilient play components that are designed so that

children climb through and within the structure. Most incorporate play

activities on several different levels. Some cover 3,000 square feet

and are over 20 feet high. These play structures are found in amusement

parks, connected with fast food restaurants, or as stand-alone

facilities. The play settings subcommittee recommended that these play

structures be accessible and provide integration, and noted that the

ASTM F1536 committee is currently developing standards for them.

Question 8: Should soft contained play systems be subject to the

same requirements as other play structures? The Access Board is

interested in receiving information on how access can be provided to

these play structures.

Golf (Pages 103-118)

Accessible Route (Pages 108-112)

Golf is played in the open air on courses that incorporate natural

and constructed elements. An 18-hole golf course typically occupies

more than 100 acres and slopes on fairways frequently exceed 1:20.

Because the route of play is determined by where the ball lands, the

golf subcommittee focused on providing players with a disability access

to their ball without defining an accessible route through the green.

The subcommittee based its recommendations on the premise that players

with a disability will use a golf car or similar mobility aid to access

their balls. The subcommittee recommended that at least one accessible

teeing ground be provided on each hole. An accessible route would be

required from the golf car path or parking area to the accessible

teeing ground. Where continuous access onto the fairway is not possible

because of natural barriers, access to the fairway would be required at

maximum distances of every 75 yards from the golf car path, unless

precluded by extreme terrain or environmental issues (wetlands and

protected areas). The subcommittee recommended against providing access

to hazards and bunkers on the grounds that doing so would substantially

change the nature of the game. (Practice bunkers would be accessible.)

An accessible route would be required to all putting greens from the

golf car path or parking area. An accessible route would also be

required from golf car paths or parking areas to toilet rooms, snack

bars, weather shelters, and other amenities provided for players. The

subcommittee also recommended that the playing area of the golf course

be exempt from the requirement for stable, firm, and slip resistant

surfaces.

Question 9: Do the golf subcommittee's recommendations adequately

address accessible design for golf courses?

Miniature Golf (Pages 115-117)

The golf subcommittee also examined miniature golf courses. The

subcommittee recommended that all holes on miniature golf courses be

connected by an accessible route and that the entire playing surface of

these courses be accessible, except for sloped surfaces where the ball

cannot come to rest. Access would be required at starting points, end

points, and to points in between where the ball may rest. The

subcommittee also recommended that where obstacles such as concrete

blocks, gates, and caves are placed on the playing surface to enhance

difficulty or competition, an accessible path be provided to either

side of the obstacle, or entrance and exit points be provided on both

sides of the obstacle to allow players with disabilities to bypass the

obstacle. Owners and operators of miniature golf courses have expressed

concern about requiring the entire course to be accessible, especially

courses developed on smaller sites which are often designed to rise

sharply in elevation to increase the playing surface area.

Question 10: Are there conditions where a lesser degree of

accessibility should be allowed for miniature golf courses? The Access

Board is interested in receiving information on designs for providing

access to miniature golf courses.

Boating and Fishing Facilities (Pages 119-132)

Gangways (Pages 126-129)

The boating and fishing facilities subcommittee examined a variety

of facilities ranging from primitive fishing areas in national parks to

highly developed, multi-use marinas in urban settings. The marine

environment is dynamic and poses design challenges different from those

encountered in a static, land-based environment. Bodies of water

experience changing levels due to such factors as tides, seasonal

changes, reservoir draw-downs, flooding, and dam releases. The

subcommittee identified three options at pages 126-129 of the

committee's report for providing access to gangway structures which

connect to floating, boating and fishing facilities. The subcommittee

did not reach consensus on the options and encouraged public input and

additional research.

Question 11: Which option most adequately addresses issues

affecting access to floating, boating and fishing facilities? Are there

other solutions that are not reflected in the recommended options?

Persons responding to this question should review pages 126-129 of the

committee's report.

Boat Slips (Pages 125-126)

The boating and fishing facilities subcommittee also recommended

scoping provisions and technical specifications for accessible boat

slips. The subcommittee recommended that the number of accessible

boating slips be based on the scoping provision for accessible parking

spaces for motor vehicles (ADAAG 4.1.2(5)).

Question 12: Should the scoping provision for accessible parking

spaces for motor vehicles be applied to boat slips? Should other

factors be considered such as whether the boat slips are leased on a

long-term or a short-term basis?

Outdoor Developed Areas (Pages 133-202)

Outdoor Recreation Environments (Pages 133-190)

Over the past decade, the National Park Service, USDA Forest

Service, various State and local government agencies, and private

entities have examined issues related to providing access to outdoor

recreation environments. The outdoor developed areas subcommittee built

on these earlier efforts. The committee based its work on the premise

that there is a spectrum of recreation settings that occur in the

outdoor environment and identified four different settings based on the

degree of development and modifications to the natural environment. The

settings are: the highly developed or urban; the moderately developed

or natural; the minimally developed or back-country; and the

undeveloped or primitive. The subcommittee attempted to develop

recommendations that provide the highest degree of access practicable

and feasible, commensurate with the amount of development, while at the

same time preserving and protecting the fundamental nature of the

various elements of the outdoor recreation environment. The

subcommittee outlined three degrees of accessibility (easier, moderate,

and difficult) that related to the first three settings with the degree

of access decreasing as the amount of development decreases. No

guidelines were recommended for undeveloped or primitive settings.

The outdoor developed areas subcommittee attempted to define a

process by which decisions can be made regarding the degree of access

which should be provided in different outdoor recreation environments.

The subcommittee proposed two approaches for determining the degree of

access to be provided. The first approach is set out at pages 153-156

(outdoor recreation access routes) and pages 166-170 (recreation

trails) of the committee's report and reaches decisions regarding the

degree of access to be provided through analysis of the recreation

setting, the condition of the natural environment, the amount of

structural modification, the recreation experience, and consultation

with individuals with disabilities. The second approach is set out at

pages 157-159 (outdoor recreation access routes) and pages 170-171

(recreation trails) of the committee's report and begins by requiring a

certain degree of accessibility and proposes a series of exceptions

that allow the other degrees of accessibility for a variety of

conditions including severe elevations, geologic features, historic

significance, or the specific purpose of the trail. Under the second

approach, an entity would also have to consult with individuals with

disabilities when making an exception and document the decision. Both

approaches are intended to result in the highest degree of access

practicable and feasible for the setting.

Question 13: Which approach is more likely to achieve an acceptable

level of access? Can these approaches be applied to all outdoor

recreation environments regardless of size, location, entity, or other

factors? Are there other alternatives that would facilitate application

of accessibility guidelines to outdoor recreation environments? Persons

responding to this question should review pages 153-159 and 166-171 of

the committee's report.

Beaches (Pages 186-187)

The outdoor developed areas subcommittee also examined beach

facilities and recommended that an accessible route be provided to a

point 36 inches beyond the water's edge at high tide. The subcommittee

stated that a stable, firm and slip resistant surface may be

accomplished by using permanent materials (e.g., concrete, wood, or

plastic decking); temporary, removable materials (e.g., mats or mesh)

during daylight hours; or a combination of both. Water level changes

due to tides, shifting shorelines, and erosion may impact on potential

solutions.

Question 14: Should an accessible route be required to the water?

If so, where should it be located? Should a temporary accessible route

be allowed where a permanent one is not practicable or feasible?

Snow Facilities (Pages 190-201)

The outdoor developed areas subcommittee also examined skiing and a

variety of other snow activities. The subcommittee recommended that

accessible parking spaces be located a maximum of 300 feet from base

area facilities or other snow area activities, unless an accessible

transportation option is provided. The subcommittee also proposed the

concept of a snow access route. The subcommittee noted that the ANSI

B77.1 committee is conducting research on accessibility requirements

for lifts and has recommended that guidelines for lifts be reserved

pending the research, except for loading and unloading areas and lift

corrals and waiting areas.

Question 15: What are the critical access issues for individuals

with disabilities in snow facilities? The Access Board is interested in

receiving additional information on ski lift access.

Other Facility Types

Question 16: Are there other types of recreation facilities and

outdoor developed areas that are not addressed in the committee's

report? If so, the Access Board is interested in receiving information

on providing access to those facilities and areas.

The Recreation Access Advisory Committee has performed an

invaluable public service by gathering information on diverse types of

recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas; involving other

interested persons in its work; and attempting to build consensus on

possible solutions for providing access to these facilities and areas.

The Access Board wants to encourage greater public participation as it

develops a notice of proposed rulemaking establishing accessibility

guidelines for newly constructed and altered recreation facilities and

outdoor developed areas and invites comments on the committee's report.

The comments will be considered along with the committee's report as

the Access Board develops the notice of proposed rulemaking.

Authorized by vote of the Access Board on July 13, 1994.

Judith E. Heumann,

Chairperson, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance

Board.

[FR Doc. 94-23180 Filed 9-20-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8150-01-P