Delta could require improved accessibility be included in rezoning applications.
That’s the response from staff to a recent complaint from a resident about her wheelchair-bound friend’s frustrations in accessing buildings without push button doors.
Noting their concern was sparked when they went to a restaurant at Tsawwassen Commons that had no accessibility button, Monica Burrow in a letter to Delta council asked the city to consider enacting a policy that would require all new buildings with retail or professional space of any size to have such automatic devices.
Delta staff noted the minimum B.C. Building Code requirements for accessibility do not take effect until a new tenant space is over 500 square metres. Also, the latest requirements in the code did not address existing buildings being brought up to new code requirements.
Staff noted it will consider making future recommendations to council on new requirements when applications for rezoning come forward.
The city is currently undertaking a review of its Green Growth Index and improved accessibility could fit within those revisions, according to staff.
