‘Buying Local’ goes with helping locals

by Patti Boily
With the holiday season fast approaching and precursors of Christmas already showing up in our local stores, our merchants will once again be encouraging us to “buy local.”
It’s a great concept and certainly follows the current trend of buying food, goods and services locally for community sustainability and independence. Our Farmers’ Market is a fine example of this idea. I wonder, however, whether many of our local merchants realize they have in fact “pulled the welcome mat” for a significant number of our friends and neighbors.
I’m talking about those among us who have accessibility needs — perhaps we’re wheelchair users or maybe we rely on walkers or canes or it could be we have breathing problems that keep us from walking any distance. Acting on concerns voiced by some in our community, I took a drive around town and I was surprised and disappointed with the number of businesses here who don’t have designated accessible parking spaces in their lots. A few of those establishments have actually gone to the trouble of providing a ramp for wheelchair users but they don’t have signs posted to indicate where to park or to reserve the space that provides access to their ramp. It appears they don’t seem to be aware of the negative message they are conveying to the very consumers they are clamoring at to “buy local.”
Yes, there are more than a few shops here that in fact are not wheelchair accessible due to the nature of their businesses and those proprietors might think they don’t have to provide “Accessible Parking” but, as mentioned earlier, not all people with disabilities use wheelchairs. Some use canes or perhaps they don’t require an aid for walking yet still require and qualify for an Accessible Parking tag or placard for their car. Do those shopkeepers realize they are losing business because many shoppers and their families just don’t feel welcome?
Homer Merchants, I would suggest you take a good look at your parking lots and consider whether you are sending the wrong message to your friends, neighbors and potential customers. I’d also remind you that it’s really not an option as it’s also the law. The Americans with Disability Act requires all businesses, regardless of size, to provide public access – there are very narrow exceptions and they are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
The ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) are very specific and require that even if a parking lot only accommodates 1, 2, 3 or more — up to 25 — spaces, one of those spaces must be designated as Accessible Parking and it must meet the “van accessible” requirements. Parking lots with 25-60 spaces must have at least two designated Accessible Parking spaces, one of which must be van accessible. There are also requirements regarding slopes, curbs and building access that are not optional – you cannot expect a person with disabilities to maneuver a side hill or slippery slope with any success.
Accessible Parking signs are available through Warning Lights of Alaska in Anchorage at (907) 562-2124 or through a variety of catalog companies that specialize in industrial products. The Independent Living Center has a limited supply of signs available to purchase and you can also find a number of options online by searching for “Accessible Parking Signs, Alaska”.
If you are not quite sure what the requirements are for your specific parking areas please feel free to contact the Independent Living Center at 235-7911 or stop by our office at 3953 Bartlett Street for information regarding what is required and possible sources.
This might sound trivial or not keeping with the character and charm of Homer to some but if you or a family member were to suddenly find yourselves experiencing a condition that impacted your ability to walk you might find our Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea is not always a friendly, welcoming place.

Patti Boily is the ADA Liaison for the Independent Living Center in Homer.

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