ADA Accessibility for the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival 2023

The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is an annual event that is presented by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.  The footprint of the event is a combination of public & private property.  The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce celebrates the diversity of our “greater” community and understands that part of our responsibility is to make our event accessible to people with disabilities.  This event is to be enjoyed by everyone. 

To ensure that our event is completely accessible according to ADA regulations, we reviewed and implemented all requirements highlighted in ADA Title II.

Policy: 

The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce welcomes everyone to our annual Art & Wine Festival that takes place during a weekend in September (September 23-24, 2023).   Our event has been planned to consider and anticipate all people with any disability. 

Transportation:

We are available by BART, auto, bicycle, & walking.   The walkways from all parking and the BART station are all in compliance.  City staff has also inspected the most used walkways to prevent any accidents.  Free movement throughout the festival has been set up.  There may be booths set in the street or on the sidewalks, but always with a clear way to access them.  Published Festival maps highlight where the most convenient “handicapped” parking exists.  Space will be limited. 

• Handicapped parking can also be found in the Bart lots as well as other lots that surround the footprint of the festival.  The Main Lot at the Bart Station has dozens of Handicapped parking spaces.  And since the shuttles stop at the station, these may be the easiest spaces to navigate.   
• There will also be handicapped spaces available in the Walgreens lot at 3614 Mt. Diablo Blvd.  just outside the festival west entrance.  To reach those additional handicapped spaces, enter the alley behind the Wells Fargo Bank located on Happy Valley Rd.  Follow to the Walgreens parking lot.  The spaces will be to your left.  There are also two accessible parking spaces at 999 Oak Hill Road, Lafayette, CA (in the Dudum Real Estate parking lot.)

If you park at the BART upper lot on Deer Hill Rd. use the Douglas Parking Bus for shuttle transportation to and from the event.  Lamorinda Spirit Van shuttle is equipped with a wheel chair lift.  This bus will be marked.  See map at www.lafayettefestival.com for route.  Buses will run from 9:30am – to 30 minutes after the event ends.  

This year we have also created a Taxi/Uber drop off – pick up area.  Driving South from Deerhill Rd. on Oak Hill Rd. the road will be closed at Mt. Diablo Blvd.  Stay in the right lane and it will take you to the drop off – pick up zone on Oak Hill Rd. 

• (1) A "path of travel" includes a continuous, unobstructed way of pedestrian passage by means of which the altered area may be approached, entered, and exited, and which connects the altered area with an exterior approach (including sidewalks, streets, and parking areas), an entrance to the facility, and other parts of the facility.
• (2) An accessible path of travel may consist of walks and sidewalks, curb ramps and other interior or exterior pedestrian ramps; clear floor paths through lobbies, corridors, rooms, and other improved areas; parking access aisles; elevators and lifts; or a combination of these elements.
• (3) For the purposes of this part, the term "path of travel" also includes the restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area.

• (g) Duty to provide accessible features in the event of disproportionality.
  • (1) When the cost of alterations necessary to make the path of travel to the altered area fully accessible is disproportionate to the cost of the overall alteration, the path of travel shall be made accessible to the extent that it can be made accessible without incurring disproportionate costs.
  • (2) In choosing which accessible elements to provide, priority should be given to those elements that will provide the greatest access, in the following order:
    • (i) An accessible entrance;
    • (ii) An accessible route to the altered area;
    • (iii) At least one accessible restroom for each sex or a single unisex restroom;
    • (iv) Accessible telephones;
    • (v) Accessible drinking fountains; and
    • (vi) When possible, additional accessible elements such as parking, storage, and alarms.

• (h) Series of smaller alterations.
  • (1) The obligation to provide an accessible path of travel may not be evaded by performing a series of small alterations to the area served by a single path of travel if those alterations could have been performed as a single undertaking.
  • (2)
    • (i) If an area containing a primary function has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area, or a different area on the same path of travel, are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations to the primary function areas on that path of travel during the preceding three year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost of making that path of travel accessible is disproportionate.
    • (ii) Only alterations undertaken after January 26, 1992, shall be considered in determining if the cost of providing an accessible path of travel is disproportionate to the overall cost of the alterations.

Path of travel.

• (1) A "path of travel" includes a continuous, unobstructed way of pedestrian passage by means of which the altered area may be approached, entered, and exited, and which connects the altered area with an exterior approach (including sidewalks, streets, and parking areas), an entrance to the facility, and other parts of the facility.
• (2) An accessible path of travel may consist of walks and sidewalks, curb ramps and other interior or exterior pedestrian ramps; clear floor paths through lobbies, corridors, rooms, and other improved areas; parking access aisles; elevators and lifts; or a combination of these elements.
• (3) For the purposes of this part, the term "path of travel" also includes the restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area.

Duty to provide accessible features in the event of disproportionality.

• (1) When the cost of alterations necessary to make the path of travel to the altered area fully accessible is disproportionate to the cost of the overall alteration, the path of travel shall be made accessible to the extent that it can be made accessible without incurring disproportionate costs.
• (2) In choosing which accessible elements to provide, priority should be given to those elements that will provide the greatest access, in the following order:
  • (i) An accessible entrance;
  • (ii) An accessible route to the altered area;
  • (iii) At least one accessible restroom for each sex or a single unisex restroom;
  • (iv) Accessible telephones;
    • There will be a phone available to use at the Volunteer Center located at the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Office parking lot at 251 Lafayette Circle.
  • (v) Accessible drinking fountains; and
    • There will be cold water available to use at the Volunteer Center & several spots as you walk through the festival. Water will also be sold throughout the festival
    • The Lafayette Police Department, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Unit and CERT will be hosting a Cooling Station/Triage between Postino Restaurant and Franchesca’s (3565 Mt. Diablo Blvd.) on the south side of Mt. Diablo Blvd.
  • (vi) When possible, additional accessible elements such as parking, storage, and alarms.

Series of smaller alterations.

• (1) The obligation to provide an accessible path of travel may not be evaded by performing a series of small alterations to the area served by a single path of travel if those alterations could have been performed as a single undertaking.
• (2)
  • (i) If an area containing a primary function has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area, or a different area on the same path of travel, are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations to the primary function areas on that path of travel during the preceding three year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost of making that path of travel accessible is disproportionate.
  • (ii) Only alterations undertaken after January 26, 1992, shall be considered in determining if the cost of providing an accessible path of travel is disproportionate to the overall cost of the alterations.

 Stages:

All people that are involved with any productions on any of our stages have been notified that we will make any of our stages accessible during the event.  This is written into each contract.  The stages will be marked “off limits” as an area that is not open to the public.

Rest Rooms:

Because our event is located in the center of our downtown, many businesses in our downtown have accessible rest rooms.  There are also five areas where you can find Handicapped Porta-potties.  They are:

• Lafayette Circle behind the Bank Stage Parking Lot
• Thompson Ave. just north of Mt. Diablo Blvd.
• NE corner of Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Oak Hill Rd. 
• Between 50 -80 Lafayette Circle Rd. across from Lamorinda Music.

Map links and additional information can be found in our Visitor's Guide.