Julian can make history with access
By: HOLLYNN D'LIL | ∞
Jim Trageser's column about access lawsuits destroying the integrity of historical buildings of Julian ("Balance is what's lacking in Julian," Dec. 15) is in error.
I served on the California State Historical Building Safety Board and chaired the committee charged with bringing the California State Historical Building Code into compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The result of our work is in Chapter 8-6 of Part 8 of the California Code of Regulations Building Code Title 24. Section 8-601.2 states, "It is the intent of this chapter to preserve the integrity of qualified historical buildings and properties while providing access to and use by persons with disabilities."
In law, there is no conflict between preserving our history and stopping architectural discrimination against persons with disabilities. Buildings on a local, state or national historical register may apply the code to any remodeling project for their building, whether it is electrical, plumbing, structural or accessibility upgrades that are needed. The purpose of the State Historical Building Code is to allow historical buildings to change and grow as needed. It provides the means for historical buildings to serve as community resources for everyone.
The steps and narrow doors of Julian's old buildings represent a time when the average life expectancy was around 50 and child mortality rates were greater than 50 percent.
It isn't hard to imagine that the original owners of those historical buildings would have been delighted to add ramps and widen their doorways if their children and other loved ones could have survived accidents and diseases that we no longer even remember. One needs only to visit the older cemeteries, like the Julian Pioneer Cemetery, and count the number of children's graves, and read the anguished epitaphs for wives and husbands who died in what we today call middle age.
When ramps are added to Julian's buildings, they in themselves will be monuments to an important time in history. They will speak for this time, when people with disabilities not only survive and flourish, but have at last been granted the same civil rights enjoyed by others in this country.
In contrast, the historical fabric that was altered in Julian's old buildings to install electricity, air conditioning or new plumbing was to make way for testaments to only our better technology, not our greater humanity.
What better showcase for a disability civil rights monument than Julian, founded before women had the right to vote, and before there were even buses where black people had to ride in the back?
Hopefully, with time we will forget that the historic ramps were added only under threat of a lawsuit more than three and a half decades after California's disability civil rights laws were passed. As the next very populous and powerful generation of elders will say, as they wheel or push their walkers up Julian's ramps, "Oh yes. We did that. That's our legacy."
Graton resident HolLynn D'Lil is a wheelchair user and served on the California State Historical Building Safety Board from 1980 to 1982 and 1996 to 2000. She helped to write the original State Historic Building Code, first published in July 1981.
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Laura wrote on Dec 24, 2005 9:58 PM:Thank you to the North County Times and Julian to allow both sides be heard and discussed. Respectfully, Laura Williams, President Californians for Disability Rights, Inc.
Y? wrote on Dec 25, 2005 12:07 PM:It is a tragedy that good laws meant to help those in need, such as ADA, are used as weapons to cram others' views down people's throats. There will be a terrible backlash against ADA abuses. Those whom the law is meant to help will severely suffer from this backlash. The disabled will be outcasts without special rights or access, just because of the selfish greed of a few.
Laura wrote on Dec 27, 2005 12:26 AM:Hey "Y" Not surprised you are too ashamed to put even a first name! They are good laws - but when ignored by local communities -loose all value! Where barriers are not removed - injustice and inequality persist. We really thought Jim Crow was dead! But you prove that it doesn't take white robes and burning crosses to besmirch America. Grow up!
J. Mackey wrote on Dec 27, 2005 9:38 AM:We have a disabled grandaughter who is confined to a wheel chair. She gets great joy out of being able to go with her parents or grandparents to concerts, on sightseeing excursions and small adventures. We are in complete agreement with Ms. D'Lil. Kingston, WA
AmyV. wrote on Dec 27, 2005 2:14 PM:Y? is probably a Julian business owner who received one of Mr. Pinnock's letters requesting barrier removal. It just goes to show that derelict business owners will do and say anything to justify their illegal behavior. The ADA law is a great law. The ONLY ones complaining about it's enforcement are those business owners who failed to comply with it and are finally being brought to task. And the lies they expound to support their tirades is appalling. Let's get the truth out. Truth #1: The ADA regulations have NEVER been changed since they were implemented in 1992. The business' whine that the "laws keep changing" is an utter lie. Truth #2: The ADA regulations are not complicated. In fact, the ADA Accessibility Guidelines ("ADAAG") provides diagrams for the various dimensional requirements. Any architect, contractor, handyman, idiot who can read a measuring tape can figure out, for example, that a toilet seat is supposed to be between 17 and 19 inches from the finished floor simply by looking at a simple diagram in the ADAAG. Truth #3: Business owners just want PWD to shut up and go away. First they complained that PWD weren't giving them notice to remove barriers before a suit was filed. So, Mr. Pinnock decided to see if their whine was true. He sent them letters before suing. NOW they complain about the letters! Liars!
Jean wrote on Dec 27, 2005 7:17 PM:I'm amazed that there is such an outcry over this. If the business owners sat down and did a calculation spreading the costs they will bear for accomodation from the date the ADA became law, they would realize that it would have cost them less per year had they proactively made the modifications before *anyone* investigated this.
Jennifer wrote on Dec 29, 2005 7:19 AM:Wow! It is amazing that such a hatred message could actually be sent out on Christmas Day! The disabled will NEVER be outcasts! Access has nothing to do with other people beliefs; it is simply the right thing to do. No human being should be turned away from a business due to race, religion or physical ability! Not providing access is like say "we don't want your kind here". Only prejudice and hateful people like "Y?" will have to one day face the backlash they have worked so hard to reap. AS A NON-DISABLED PERSON, I AM ASHAMED OF YOU!!!
Penny wrote on Dec 30, 2005 6:17 AM:Well done. The "good old days" weren't so good in reality, and no building is beautiful to me if its beauty comes at the expense of a decent community life.
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