Resident urges improved ADA access and parking/bus-stop changes for downtown commons
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Summary
Diane Bauer, a registered nurse and community health advocate, told the council she found the recently built downtown commons area difficult to use for restroom access and raised safety and access concerns about parking and tour-bus stops; she urged the city and DDA to ensure ADA-compliant restroom access and to consider moving the bus stop.
During the public-comment period on July 7, Diane Bauer of Alpena, a registered nurse and community health advocate, told the council she supports the newly built downtown commons area but voiced complaints about accessibility and parking. Bauer said walkways are passable for her walker but public restroom access is not: “I can get my Cadillac walker down it very easily, but I cannot go to the bathroom easily. There's absolutely no bridal, big uneven ground, big hole ... I fell in today.”
Bauer said the issue is discriminatory for people who use wheelchairs or walkers and asked the council and DDA to ensure full accessibility, including restroom access. She also raised concerns about a parking lot on Second Avenue where a bus stop and inconsistent markings have created conflicts between tour buses, delivery vehicles and regular users; she urged the city to consider designating or moving a bus stop so commercial buses do not block other traffic and parking.
Council staff noted online comments would be accepted after in-person remarks; no council action was taken during public comment but staff and council members acknowledged the complaint and the need to review accessibility and parking arrangements.
Bauer thanked the fire department and staff for past improvements and requested the city keep inclusivity and ADA compliance in mind when permitting and contracting for downtown events and facilities.