East Wenatchee Grappling with Goatheads, Financial Fallout from Pandemic
City of East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford talks with KOHO Morning Show host Chris Hansen about how the city is dealing with the multitude of fiscal issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Crawford also shares details of how the city is attempting to mitigate the invasive species Bindii, more commonly known as goatheads.
I am not allowed access to some pages! Was up!?!?
Thirty years ago, the United States moved closer to the fulfillment of its constitutional promise by passing the Americans with Disabilities Act. For the estimated 61 million Americans now living with a disability, the ADA has been a critical source of opportunity, participation, self-sufficiency, and respect.
I attempted to walk a friend who is wheel chaired bound through the completed first stage of Sutton Homes. This is an ongoing development of shared wall homes located on 4th past Jarvis in East Wenatchee. The setbacks for those homes are less than the 20 foot Douglas County standard. These new homes have garages on both sides of the shared wall units. It’s common for most folks to park in front of the garage on the driveway. With these units that length is so short that when they park in front of the garage they also park over the sidewalk. That combined with multiple families inside each side of the multifamily units the streets have cars parked on both sides as well.
Due to this county approved exception nearly every home had two or more vehicles parked over the sidewalks making them unusable. Coupled with both sides of the streets having parked cars the street was effectively down to one lane of traffic. This made using the road hazardous for our wheel chair user.
Setbacks and other building regulations have been put in place for well proven reasons. The county planners made an exception for the Sutton Homes development without taking into consideration the conceivable consequences. Construction continues without change though Douglas County is aware of the ADA issues it creates. Because of their decisions the cost of signage, law enforcement and the like will be passed on to taxpayers and not the developers.
For those with mobility disabilities or reliant upon a wheel chair, ADA compliance ensures mobility and inclusiveness. Thirty years on, we still have work to do to realize the full aspiration of the ADA. Every Wenatchee citizen should have the chance to live independently and contribute their talents to our society.
Goat heads are you kidding me