Commission raises website navigation concerns as city works toward ADA compliance

A commissioner asked at the Feb. 12 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting whether the city solicits public input on website navigation and when the site was last rebuilt; city communications staff said the site was overhauled two to three years ago and that the city is now working to ensure linked pages and documents meet ADA requirements ahead of an April 2026 deadline.

The commissioner said residents report the city website can be difficult to navigate and asked whether the parks department receives and forwards specific feedback. A parks staff member said department pages are updated by Parks & Recreation but that the overall website platform and design are managed by the city communications division in the city manager’s office.

Brad, who the meeting identified as a communications staff member, said the city is being proactive: “April 2026, I believe, is when all municipal, state, and federal websites have to be fully ADA compliant,” and that the communications team is working to ensure PDFs and linked documents are accessible and that third-party vendors are brought into compliance when necessary.

Staff said that some site navigation issues can be addressed at the department page level and encouraged commissioners to gather specific examples of where residents experience difficulty. The communications staff added they do not expect a full redesign immediately and estimated the next overhaul may be several years away.

What’s next Commissioners said they will try to collect specific examples of navigability problems to share with staff. Parks staff suggested phone and in-person assistance remain available for residents who cannot use the site to register for programs or access information.