The City of Bellingham’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) program is committed to fostering an inclusive community, empowering individuals of all abilities to engage in public spaces, services and programs. We recognize that access and equal opportunity are not only civil rights, but our social responsibility to uphold and promote diversity and inclusion.
Contact
ADA Coordinator, Public Works
(360) 778-7950, ada@cob.org
The City of Bellingham is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. Our ongoing accessibility effort is guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
We are actively working to improve the user experience and enhance accessibility on our website and other digital platforms.
We value feedback from community members, especially those who may have specific accessibility needs. If you have suggestions for improvements, or if you have problems with using our website, please contact the City of Bellingham ADA Coordinator. Please tell us as much as you can about the problem. Tell us where it is (a link, page name or department), and what kind of issue it is (color contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text, etc).
City of Bellingham ADA Coordinator Contact Information:
- Email: ada@cob.org
- Mail: 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
- Voice: (360) 778-7950
- Relay Service: 7-1-1
The City is using the WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards as we build our website platform and content, including but not limited to the following elements:
- Designing site templates with an emphasis on color contrast, logical heading order, and configurable repeated elements.
- Coding the templates to ensure pages are usable by a variety of input and output devices, such as keyboard navigation and screen readers.
- Ensuring that all non-textual elements have a text equivalent, such as “alt text” for images or transcripts for videos.
- Auditing our website using several methods, including browser plug-ins, third-party assessments, and individual page testing using a quality assurance platform.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted by Congress in 1990, is a landmark civil rights law designed to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It ensures equal access and opportunities in areas such as employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the City of Bellingham will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. Notice of Non-Discrimination under Title II of the ADA.
Title II of the ADA requires the City of Bellingham to provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to access City services, programs and activities. The City of Bellingham provides a variety of accommodations and services to facilitate access and communications. If you have a disability and need an accommodation to participate in a City program, service, or activity, then you can use the accommodation request form.
The City of Bellingham grievance procedure and complaint form may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of the City’s programs, services or activities.
The City’s ADA Transition Plan for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way focuses exclusively on the public right-of-way, which includes sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian push buttons, and other pedestrian-related facilities. The Plan identifies ADA accessibility issues and opportunities to improve access for individuals with disabilities. We appreciate the invaluable input from community members who participated in the development of the Plan and welcome feedback.
- ADA Transition Plan for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way
- City of Bellingham Transportation Planning
To report an ADA accessibility issue, download the SeeClickFix app for free on your mobile device from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After installing the app, choose your service area as Bellingham, WA. SeeClickFix is also available using a desktop computer. After opening the link click on the “Report an Issue with SeeClickFix” button. Let us know what you think should be fixed, upload a picture of the problem and select the location of the issue on a map. View SeeClickFix frequently asked questions for more information.
- Parks and Recreation Adaptive Recreation – Bellingham Parks and Recreation offers community members of all abilities recreational, social and athletic opportunities. The programs are a great way to meet new people, improve athletic skills, or just have fun while focusing on respect, acceptance, and inclusion. Everybody is welcome, so make sure to let your family, friends, and neighbors know!
- Northwest ADA Center – The Northwest ADA Center is committed to providing information and training about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It ensures that individuals and organizations have the resources they need to understand the spirit and guidelines of the ADA, promoting equal opportunities and accessibility for all.
- Service Animals – The U.S. Department of Justice publishes final regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act for Title II (State and local government services) and Title III (public accommodations and commercial facilities), including requirements for service animals.
- Title II of the ADA State and Local Governments | ADA.gov
- Introduction to the ADA Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act | ADA.gov
- Washington state law against discrimination Chapter 49.60 RCW: DISCRIMINATION—HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 | U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Report Housing Discrimination | HUD.gov
The City of Bellingham Title VI webpage provides additional information including a Title VI Plan, Policy Statement, Complaint Procedures and Complaint Form.
Federal law protects everyone’s right to participate and be heard. The City of Bellingham assures that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, as provided by Title VI Of The Civil Rights Act Of 1964 , and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any City sponsored program or activity.
