[Greater-Baltimore] Resolution for consideration at tomorrow's meeting

[Danielsen, Chris]

Federation Family,

Below and attached is a resolution that we will consider at tomorrow's chapter meeting. Please take the opportunity to review it beforehand if you can; we will also, of course, read it at the meeting.

Warmly,

Chris

Resolution 2026-01 Regarding the Assignment of an Address to the Accessible Entrance to the Baltimore County Government Center

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the nation's leading organization of blind and low vision people and a strong advocate for full participation in public life; and
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFBMD), an affiliate of the NFB, and its local chapters advocate on behalf of blind and low vision Marylanders; and
WHEREAS, the Towson/Timonium, Lutherville, Cockeysville (TLC) Chapter, the Baltimore County Chapter, the Greater Baltimore chapter, and the At Large Chapter of the NFB of Maryland all have members who live in Baltimore County; and
WHEREAS, all Baltimore County residents, including the blind, may have business to transact from time to time at the Baltimore County Government Center, officially known as the Baltimore County Historic Courthouse, which also houses the County Executive's office and several other important County offices; and
WHEREAS, the only address which is publicly available for this building is 400 Washington Avenue, Towson, Maryland, which serves as the mailing address for this facility but does not refer to a public entrance to the building; and
WHEREAS, the accessible entrance to the Baltimore County Historic Courthouse is on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is more than a block away from 400 Washington Avenue; and
WHEREAS, an exact address is needed to engage rideshare or paratransit services; and
WHEREAS, since the only address the public has for the Baltimore County Historic Courthouse is the 400 Washington Avenue address, the result is that rideshare and paratransit users are dropped off more than a block away from the accessible building entrance; and
WHEREAS, MTA Mobility and associated call-a-ride paratransit services are supposed to provide door-to-door services to their customers, who by nature have disabilities including blindness and other mobility limitations; and
WHEREAS, it is impossible for individuals with disabilities to receive door-to-door paratransit services with an incorrect address not tied to an accessible entrance; and
WHEREAS, blind and other disabled rideshare passengers typically need to be dropped off as close to the accessible entrance as possible; and
WHEREAS, being dropped off more than a block away from the intended destination, regardless of which transportation service is used, creates an access barrier to many individuals with disabilities: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland Greater Baltimore Chapter on this twenty-first day of March, 2026, that this organization call upon the Baltimore County Executive, the Baltimore County Council, and any associated Baltimore County government entities and departments to remove the access barrier to the Baltimore County Historic Courthouse by assigning an address to this facility's accessible entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue so that Baltimore County residents using rideshare and paratransit services can access the seat of their government; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge Baltimore County to prominently post this new address at the accessible entrance, socialize this address, and update maps, websites, and directions to reference this address.

Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.
Editor, Braille Monitor
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314 ex 2330
cdanielsen at nfb.org<mailto:email at nfb.org>
Pronouns: he, him, his

Reminder: Attend National Convention<https://nfb.org/convention>, July 3-8, 2026, in Austin, Texas.
"It's the time of year where blind people are the majority."
[National Federation of the Blind logo, Live the life you want tagline, nfb.org]<https://nfb.org/>

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