Irving City Website Accessibility Checklist
This checklist helps Irving, Texas offices assess and improve municipal website accessibility. It summarizes applicable legal sources, practical steps for audits and remediation, complaint pathways, and departmental responsibilities so city staff and contractors can align web content with municipal and federal obligations.
Scope & Standards
Municipal websites for Irving should follow recognized accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.1 AA as interpreted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Federal guidance clarifies expectations for public entities and website access; see the U.S. Department of Justice resources for technical context (DOJ ADA guidance)[2]. Local ordinances and city rules govern enforcement and procedural routes for complaints in Irving; consult the City of Irving municipal code for controlling provisions and definitions (Irving Code)[1].
Checklist - Pre-Audit
- Inventory all public-facing pages, web applications, PDFs, forms, and multimedia.
- Document third-party platforms, vendor contracts, and accessibility clauses.
- Set a remediation timeline with milestones (discovery, prioritized fixes, verification).
- Assign an internal accessibility owner and designate the Civil Rights & Equity or ADA coordinator as the complaint contact for the public (City Civil Rights & Equity)[3].
Checklist - Technical Audit
- Run automated scans (AXE, WAVE) and record results by page type.
- Complete manual checks: keyboard navigation, focus order, ARIA semantics, alt text, color contrast.
- Include PDF and document accessibility checks and remediation or replacement plans.
Penalties & Enforcement
Irving enforces accessibility obligations through its civil rights and equity functions and through applicable municipal code provisions; specific monetary fines or statutory penalty amounts for website-accessibility violations are not specified on the cited municipal code page (see Irving Code)[1]. Federal enforcement by the Department of Justice may apply to Title II claims involving public entities and accessibility; DOJ provides technical guidance and enforcement history but does not list fixed municipal fine tables on its guidance pages (DOJ ADA guidance)[2].
- Fine amounts: not specified on the cited municipal code page; federal settlements are case-specific.
- Escalation: first, repeat, and continuing-offence procedures are not explicitly enumerated for web accessibility in the cited city code.
- Non-monetary remedies: common actions include administrative orders to comply, court injunctions, and negotiated remediation plans.
- Enforcer: City of Irving Civil Rights & Equity or ADA coordinator handles local complaints; federal enforcement by DOJ may apply for Title II claims (contact)[3].
- Inspection & complaint pathway: file an internal city complaint with the Civil Rights & Equity office and consider federal administrative complaint or litigation routes if unresolved.
- Appeals/review: specific time limits for local administrative appeals are not specified on the cited municipal code page; follow the city complaint response notice for deadlines or request review from the city manager or municipal court as provided in local procedures.
Applications & Forms
No dedicated public "website accessibility" permit form is published in the cited municipal code; complaints and requests for accommodation are handled through the City of Irving Civil Rights & Equity intake procedures (contact)[3]. For federal issues, DOJ administrative complaint procedures are separate and explained on federal pages (DOJ ADA guidance)[2].
Action Steps
- Run a baseline accessibility audit and publish an accessibility statement for the site.
- Prioritize fixes for core transactions (payments, permits, public safety).
- Allocate budget for remediation and vendor contracts with accessibility requirements.
- Publish complaint and contact routes with expected response times via the Civil Rights & Equity office.
FAQ
- Who enforces website accessibility for Irving municipal sites?
- The City of Irving Civil Rights & Equity or ADA coordinator handles local complaints; federal enforcement by the U.S. Department of Justice can apply for Title II issues.
- What standards should Irving use for municipal websites?
- Use WCAG 2.1 AA as a practical technical standard and follow DOJ technical guidance for public entities.
- How do I file a complaint about an inaccessible city web page?
- Contact the City of Irving Civil Rights & Equity office and submit a written complaint; if unresolved, federal administrative routes are available.
How-To
- Gather a list of high-priority public pages and online services to test.
- Run automated scans and schedule manual accessibility testing with assistive-technology users.
- Create a remediation plan with targets, responsible parties, and timelines.
- Allocate funds and update contracts to require accessibility from vendors.
- Publish an accessibility statement and an easy public complaint route.
- Monitor, verify fixes, and schedule periodic re-testing.
Key Takeaways
- Adopt WCAG 2.1 AA as the working standard for Irving municipal web content.
- Document audits and remediation to demonstrate good-faith compliance.
- Provide clear complaint contacts via the Civil Rights & Equity office.
Help and Support / Resources
- City of Irving - Civil Rights & Equity
- Irving Municipal Code (Municode)
- U.S. Department of Justice - ADA Website Accessibility Guidance