Physical Mobility Accessibility Statement for Pirates Cove Coastal Cottages, LLC
Pirates Cove Coastal Cottages were built prior to standards and regulations which came into existence that help to assure equal access to public facilities for all. Pirates Cove operates within the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) including planning physical alterations to the property and our internet-based services. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public accommodations to provide goods and services to people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the general public.
Very few enhancements to the property or cottages had occurred, prior to purchasing the property in 2018. Time, decay, and less than sufficient repairs had rendered the old structures less accessible and less stable than when originally built. Our first years of operations have been devoted to repairing these structures and addressing deficiencies in the infrastructure at Pirates Cove for the safety of our guests.
In May 2022, Pirates Cove decided to conduct a thorough accessibility survey of the property and all of the cottages to assess current accessibility, and guide planning for future alterations. The goal of this process was to structure a plan to make the existing facility more usable for people with disabilities. The tools utilized were developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc. and Adaptive Environments Center, Inc. who are authorized by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to develop information and materials on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This first survey identified accessibility gaps that will guide solutions in order for Pirates Cove to meet our obligations under the ADA. The findings of this survey can be found in this document and were originally posted to our website on June 21, 2022.
Pirates Cove has made several enhancements to the property and to provide better access, however, persons with disabilities who require the assistance of a motorized or self-powered mobility devices may not find any of our cottages fully accessible, largely due to original design (e.g., raised structures, narrow doorways, small spaces, etc.).
While none of the cottages currently affords completely barrier-free access for guests requiring use of some adaptive mobility devices, Pirates Cove provides the following summary of the results of survey as they apply to each of the cottages for rent for the purpose of providing qualitative information for potential guests with mobility needs and to allow any guest to make an informed decision and selection of the most appropriate cottage for their needs, if available.
- Parking: Pirates Cove has nine parking spaces, unassigned, and one reserved van accessible
space on the right side of the parking lot. The parking area is level and compressed gravel. - Office: One 2” step at entry threshold, 36” wide front door, 5’ space for wheelchair
maneuvering. Strobe light smoke detector for hearing impaired guests provided upon request. - Access routes: Pathways on the property are concrete sidewalks that are 36″ wide, with
uneven spots. Pathway from sidewalk to common dock is a grassy area. Two steps to enter
wooden dock are 6” and 3” with 5’+ space for wheelchair maneuvering. - Cottage #1: One 9” step at entry threshold (front deck) and 6” step at secondary access
threshold, 34” front door, 24″ interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for mobility
device in bathroom, not a roll in shower (6” threshold). - Cottage #2: Three steps at entry threshold of 4”, 6” and 7” respectively, 32” front door, 24″
interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for mobility device in bathroom, 14” entry to
tub/shower with 4” grab handle inside tub/shower. - Cottage #3: Three steps at entry threshold of 4”, 6” and 7” respectively, 30” front door with 6”
grab handle adjacent to door. 24″ interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for
mobility device in bathroom, 14” entry to tub/shower. - Cottage #4: Three steps at entry threshold of 4”, 6” and 9” respectively, 30” front door with 6”
grab handle adjacent to door. 24″ interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for
mobility device in bathroom, 14” entry to tub/shower with 24” grab bar inside tub/shower. 29”
door to back deck. - Cottage #5: Three steps at entry threshold of 7”, 7” and 4” respectively, 30” front door, 24″
interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for mobility device in bathroom, 14” entry to
tub/shower with 24” grab bar adjacent to tub/shower. 23” door to back deck. - Cottage #6: Three steps at entry threshold of 7”, 7” and 6” respectively, 30” front door with 6”
grab handle adjacent to door. 24″ interior door to bathroom, inadequate floor space for
mobility device in bathroom, 14” entry to tub/shower. 29” internal door to second room. 29”
door to back deck. - Cottage #7: Step at entry threshold of 4”, 36” front door, 32″ interior door to bathroom, recent
renovations after hurricane Idalia allowed for more space for mobility device in bathroom,
however, not a roll in shower (4” threshold). Most areas inside have 32” or more to move
around. Concrete paver pathway from front door to detached screened porch is 24” wide. 36”
door to detached screened porch. - Cottage #8: Five steps at entry threshold of 7” each. 36” front door 32″ interior doors to
bedroom and bathroom, inadequate floor space for mobility device in bathroom, not a roll in
shower (4” threshold). - Cottage #9: Four steps at entry threshold of 7” each. 36” front door 32″ interior doors to
bedroom and bathroom, inadequate floor space for mobility device in bathroom, not a roll in
shower (4” threshold). - Online Access: Online accessibility was a priority and Pirates Cove contracted reservation
management operations to Cloudbeds, Inc. in October 2021. While there is no governing body
that provides an official ADA certification, we have taken significant actions on our website to
adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, provided by the World Wide
Web Consortium (W3C). The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define requirements
for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Cloudbeds,
Inc. also consistently tests their booking engine to ensure that they meet or exceed Level AA
checkpoints of the WCAG 2.1 Standard.
Please contact Pirates Cove Cottages for further assistance. This accessibility statement will be updated regularly as any alterations improving access throughout the property and cottages are completed.
Lisa Barrett
Managing Member
Pirates Cove Coastal Cottages, LLC
piratescovecottages@gmail.com
UPDATED 3/1/24