December 17, 2002
Lisa M. Danna, Assistant Bureau Chief
Disability Rights Bureau
Office of the Attorney General
100 West Randolph Street
Chicago, Illinois 60641
Dear Ms. Daana:
Your office has requested that Walgreen Co. enter into a consent decree to formalize the company's commitment to correct certain unidentified violations of the Illinois Accessibility Code. Walgreens does not believe a consent decree is necessary to document its obligation to comply with the law. The company is willing to commit to undertake corrective action, as described below, to address concerns that certain Walgreen stores are not in compliance with the Code.
Representatives from the company's Construction and Maintenance Department have completed an exterior inspection and survey at all store locations in Illinois. The results indicate that action should be taken to correct the number of accessible parking spaces, the dimensions of accessible parking spaces and access aisles, the location of reserved parking signs, and the condition of sidewalk ramps at certain store locations.
Enclosed are two lists of store locations where corrective work has been found to be necessary. Attachment # 1 provides a listing of stores where corrections will be made to accessible parking signage and/or striping. Attachment #2 is a listing of locations where repairs will be made to curb ramps. The company will undertake to complete this work as described below.
Reserved parking signs
Where necessary, signs will be remounted on permanent posts no lower than four feet from the pavement, in the center of the sixteen foot wide accessible parking space, no more than five feet from the from of the parking space.
Signs will be replaced, as needed, with approved Reserved Parking Signs and fine amount signs.
Work to replace or reinstall signs is underway at stores where the company has access to make repairs. All corrections regarding signage at these locations will be completed by March 28, 2003, weather permitting. For locations where repair work is the responsibility of the landlord, notification will be sent as described below.
Accessible parking spaces
The number of accessible parking spaces will be increased (or, in a few cases decreased) as necessary to conform to the following chart:
|
1 to 25 26 to 50 51 to 75 76 to 100 101 to 150 151 to 200 |
1 2 3 4 5 6 |
Where necessary, accessible parking spaces will be relocated to a position as close to the store entrance as possible. Also, as needed, accessible spaces will be restriped to a minimum width of sixteen feet, including a minimum eight-foot wide access aisle on either the driver or passenger side of the accessible space. Alternatively, the parking space may be eleven feet wide with an adjacent five-foot access aisle.
Striping will be completed as expeditiously as possible, weather permitting. For locations where repair work is the responsibility of the landlord, notification will be sent as described below.
Curb ramps
Damaged ramps will be reinstalled as expeditiously as possible, weather permitting. For locations where repair work is the responsibility of the landlord, notification will be sent as described below.
Notice to Landlords For store locations subject to lease, the company will send a letter to the landlord or its representative advising that the corrective work described above must be completed within the time periods permitted by the lease. The letter will be sent as soon as possible, but no later than March 1, 2003. A copy of this letter is enclosed (Attachment #3).
New Construction
In the case of new store locations, Walgreens provides instructions to developers in its "turnkey letter" as follows:
The project must comply with all applicable code and requirements of the jurisdictional authorities. Particular concern should be given to strict adherence to the ADA or local accessibility codes, whichever is more stringent.
Walgreens respectfully requests that all complaints concerning access at any of its store locations within the state of Illinois be directed to Kenneth R. Weigand, Employee Relations Department, Walgreen Co., 200 Wiimot Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015.
I trust you will agree that the attention given to this matter, as evidenced by the work performed to date and the steps to be taken as described above, provide clear evidence of Walgreens efforts to comply with the Code. Please contact me (847/914-2395), or Julian Oettinger (847/914-3004), if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Kenneth R. Weigand
Divisional vice President
Employee Relations
cc: J. A. Oettinger
T. L. Bergseth
D. A. Churchill