In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. The ADA does not require MRCA to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden. Complaints that a program, service, or activity of MRCA is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to MRCA’s ADA Coordinator.

Employment

The MRCA does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication

The MRCA will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in MRCA’s programs, services, and activities.

Modifications

The MRCA will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of MRCA, should contact the ADA Coordinator as soon as possible but no later than three (3) business days before the scheduled event. The MRCA will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.

Accessibility Policy

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits all state and local governments from discriminating on the basis of disability, but moreover, its goal is to promote equal access and full participation. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) works to ensure that every program, service and activity is accessible to visitors of all abilities, including those with limitations. The MRCA strives to eliminate barriers that may prevent patrons with disabilities from accessing our facilities or participating in MRCA programs, services and activities. MRCA is committed to operating services, programs and activities so that the service, program, or activity, when viewed in entirety, is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

MRCA public events, meetings and programs shall be non-discriminatory. No person may be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefit of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any public events, meetings and programs on the basis of a qualifying disability. This policy outlines the policies, plans, programs and procedures MRCA staff will follow to ensure persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations and access to public facilities, events, meetings and programs.

Information about accessible facilities and programs will be made readily available through our website and at our facilities and will be included in publications and informational materials. All agency managers, supervisors, and employees are responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.

Public and Non-public Areas

MRCA park managers may designate areas of facilities and parks that are open to the public and those areas that are not open to the public. MRCA is responsible for ensuring reasonable public accommodations in public areas during park hours. MRCA is responsible for ensuring reasonable accommodations in non-public areas only when those areas are open to the public for programming, events, meetings and by special permit.

Facilities

All newly built or substantially renovated facilities will adhere to the most current standards for accessible design, as applicable. Where designated trailheads are located beyond parking areas, an accessible path of travel shall be provided from accessible parking to at least one trailhead per trail. Existing facilities will be assessed for compliance to these standards, and a plan to remediate non-compliant features will be established and implemented. Improvements may be undertaken for the sole purpose of improving accessibility without requiring that a path of travel be provided. MRCA strives to make all public areas and features of park properties accessible, to the maximum extent possible without resulting in undue financial burden, fundamentally altering the nature of the service, program, or activity provided, or damage to historic property.

Wheelchairs may be used wherever pedestrians are allowed. Use of other power-driven mobility devices is governed by the Policy on Use of Wheelchairs and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices[1].

Service Animals

Service animals[2] that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability will be allowed in all locations regardless of other pet policy restrictions, unless their presence poses a danger to themselves or the public using the facility. Emotional support animals[3] are not service animals and may be treated in accordance with the facility’s pet policy. Unless the service performed by the animal requires the animal to be off leash, all service animals should remain on leash at all times unless the animal is in a general off-leash area. Misrepresenting an animal as a service animal is service animal fraud—a crime—and shall be treated as such.

MRCA staff should not inquire into the disability of an individual, only if the animal is a service animal, emotional support animal or neither. For evidence that an animal is a service animal, the individual may present the following: identification cards, written documentation, presence of harnesses or tags, or verbal assurances from the individual with a disability using the animal if asked. If staff are uncertain that an animal is a service animal, they may ask one of the following:

1. What tasks or functions does your animal perform for you?
2. What has your animal been trained to do for you?
3. Would you describe how the animal performs this task for you?

A person claiming to be training a service animal must have documentation that they are licensed or authorized to train service animals and the animal must be leashed at all times and wearing some form of identification denoting that it is a service animal in training.

Parking

Only patrons with a current and valid disability license plate or placard may park in designated accessible parking spaces. Visitors with a current and valid disability license plate or placard may also park in any available public parking space, and are exempt from parking fees. All parking areas must include a designated parking area for people with a current disability license plate or placard.

Programming

All newly developed programs and services will adhere to the most current standards for accessible design, as applicable. Existing programs and services will be assessed for compliance. Upon a timely request, programming may be relocated from non-accessible trails to accessible areas, including trailheads, if it would not fundamentally alter the nature of the program.

Public Events and Meetings

MRCA does not have a one-size-fits-all event policy. Accommodations shall vary depending on the nature of the event, the control MRCA has over the event, whether the event is open to public and what types of disabilities MRCA needs to accommodate. MRCA’s meeting agendas and online materials shall include contact information for accommodation requests. Whenever portable restrooms are required for a public event, at least one unit must meet accessibility standards. Additional accessible units may be provided for large crowds.

All public parades and performances need to designate an area for people with disabilities to view the parade or performance. This area must be provided—without any additional fee—in an area where viewing is also free for non-disabled people and it must be monitored by staff to ensure visibility.

Special Use Permits

Special Use Permits shall include terms specifying the obligations of Permittees for public events. Park managers shall discuss with Permittees which specific facilities require additional measures for accessibility compliance.

Reasonable Accommodations

Requests from qualified persons[4] for accommodations to participate in public programs or activities should be directed first to the division or office responsible for the program or activity. A person other than the individual with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation on behalf of the individual. Requests for accommodations for non-public events should be directed to the private host or Permittee.

An accommodation will be provided if it does not result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program or activity, impose an undue hardship by causing significant difficulty or expense when considering the agency’s size, financial resources and nature and structure of its operation, does not constitute a violation of state or federal law, and does not jeopardize the agency’s ability to perform the major function of its mission and operations. The MRCA is not required to provide personal items as accommodations.

Not all MRCA facilities are accessible. MRCA staff should do their best to accommodate disabilities in public facilities. During public events hosted by MRCA, when there is no accessible path of travel, MRCA staff will make arrangements to transport visitors between the event’s facilities, including parking and restrooms.

Public Documents

The essential information in all official documents, published in hardcopy or online, shall use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, size 12 point or larger, and have high contrast between the text and background.

Accessibility Contact Information

When requesting accommodations, please contact us at least three (3) business days prior to the date these services/items are needed.

ADA Coordinator

ADA@mrca.ca.gov

570 West Avenue 26, Suite 100

Los Angeles CA 90065

General Parks and Facilities

ADA@mrca.ca.gov

Ranger Services, (310) 456-7049

(310) 858-7272 X 225

Employment-Related Concerns

Zagreb De La Torre, (323) 221-9944 x145

Zagreb.DeLaTorre@mrca.ca.gov

MRCA Governing Board Meetings

(310) 589-3230, x118

General Events Information

(323) 221-9944, x301

Events@lamountains.com

Los Angeles River Center & Gardens, Vista Hermosa Park, and Marsh Park

(323) 221-9944 x220

Franklin Canyon Park and Ed Davis Park at Towsley Canyon

(310) 858-7272 x180

King Gillette Ranch and Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve

(818) 878-0866 x193

Temescal Gateway Park and Temescal Canyon Conference and Retreat Center

(310) 454-1395 x221

[1] See https://mrca.ca.gov/about/accessibility/

[2] Common service animals can include dogs and miniature horses. However, animals such as pigs and monkeys may also be considered service animals.

[3] Emotional support animals, often “therapy dogs”, are defined as those that provide therapeutic and emotional support. They do not necessarily perform any aiding task. Emotional support animals are different from and “psychiatric service animals,” a type of service animal.

[4] A qualified person is an individual who has a documented physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, who has a record of such impairment, or who is regarded as having such impairment.

Grievance Procedure

This Grievance Procedure is established to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).  It may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, activities, programs, or benefits by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).  The MRCA’s personnel policy governs employment-related complaints of disability discrimination.

The complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination such as name, address, phone number of complainant and location, date, and description of the problem. Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.

The complaint should be submitted by the grievant and/or his/her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to:

ADA Coordinator

570 West Avenue 26, Suite 100

Los Angeles CA 90065

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, MRCA’s ADA Coordinator or their designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, MRCA will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant. The response will explain the position of the MRCA and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.

If the response does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or their designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to the MRCA’s Deputy Executive Officer or designee.

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Deputy Executive Officer or their designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, MRCA will respond in writing in a format accessible to the complainant, and, where appropriate, with a final resolution of the complaint.

All written complaints received by the Coordinator or their designee, appeals to the Deputy Executive Officer or their designee, and responses from these two offices will be retained by MRCA for at least three years.

Policy on the Use of Wheelchairs and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices Allowing Access to Individuals with Mobility Disabilities on Trails Owned or Managed by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and
Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority

This policy provides guidelines for use of power-driven mobility devices pursuant to the U.S. Department of Justice regulations amending the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II regulation, 28 C.F.R., Part 35, effective March 15, 2011.

Use of wheelchairs and other power-driven mobility devices (OPDMD), including electronic personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMD) such as the Segway PT or golf carts, is generally permitted on trails owned or managed by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. It is recommended that park users who need to employ such devices for mobility and are otherwise unfamiliar with the trail first contact the agencies for local trail conditions at ADA@mrca.ca.gov.

The agencies’ parklands contain many miles of trails, almost all of which are dirt or rocky substrate and located mostly in natural area wildlands. An existing trail may initially appear to be accessibly wide but may narrow, causing restricted access, have steep gradient sections, drop-offs, and have an uneven surface some distance along the trail, making OPDMD travel unsafe. Weather and environmental conditions may unexpectedly change, such that erosion, creek crossings, fire hazard, sensitive species breeding, or other seasonal conditions can impede trail use. Physical space to turn around an OPDMD or EPAMD and reverse direction on a trail may not be available.

Restrictions:

For the physical safety of mobility device users and other trail users, for protection of sensitive natural resources in parks, noise mitigation, and for seasonal fire prevention, additional restrictions are necessary:

(a) The use of internal combustion engines is prohibited;

(b) Noise emitted by OPDMDs and EPAMDs may not exceed 70 decibels; and

(c) No person shall operate a OPDMD or EPAMD at a speed in excess of 5 miles per hour.

This policy may be revised as agency trails are further assessed to determine the extent of physical constraints, resource protection criteria, and safety concerns for all trail users.

Contact Information:

Please contact ADA@mrca.ca.gov or ADA Coordinator Zagreb De La Torre at (323) 221-9944 ext. 145 zagreb.delatorre@mrca.ca.gov with any questions.