Report Digital Accessibility Issues - Virginia Beach Bylaw
Virginia Beach, Virginia residents and website users can report digital accessibility problems — such as inaccessible PDFs, broken keyboard navigation, or missing alt text — to the city so the local government can investigate and remedy barriers to users with disabilities. This article explains who to contact, what to include, likely enforcement paths, and practical steps to report issues to the city’s accessibility contacts and code authorities. For official city guidance and contact details see the City website accessibility information website accessibility page[1].
How to report a digital accessibility issue
Follow these steps to submit a clear, actionable complaint to Virginia Beach:
- Document the problem: page URL, date/time, browser and version, and assistive technology used (screen reader, magnifier).
- Collect evidence: screenshots, short video, and a brief description of the barrier and steps to reproduce it.
- Send the report to the city accessibility contact or ADA Coordinator by email or the contact form, citing the page and evidence.
- Request an acknowledgement and, if needed, an estimated timeline for remediation.
Penalties & Enforcement
Digital accessibility obligations for Virginia Beach websites derive from federal law (ADA) and the city’s duties to provide accessible services; enforcement for specific municipal website issues is typically handled by designated city officers and by administrative or legal processes available under the City Code. For city-level authority and ordinance references, consult the Virginia Beach municipal code pages Virginia Beach Code of Ordinances[2].
- Fines: specific monetary penalties for digital accessibility violations are not specified on the cited municipal code pages; see the code for applicable sections or enforcement mechanisms. Not specified on the cited page.
- Escalation: whether a first, repeat, or continuing offence carries escalating fines or penalties is not specified on the cited municipal code pages.
- Non-monetary sanctions: remedies can include orders to remediate content, administrative directives, or referral to the City Attorney for further action; exact remedies and procedures are not specified on the cited page.
- Enforcer and complaint pathway: complaints are typically handled by the City ADA Coordinator or the Communications Department for city websites; see the ADA/HR contact and the website accessibility page for submission details ADA Coordinator information[3].
- Appeals and review: specific appeal windows and administrative review timelines are not specified on the cited municipal code pages.
- Defences and discretion: agencies may consider technical infeasibility, undue burden, or available exceptions; specific statutory defences for city websites are not specified on the cited pages.
Applications & Forms
The city does not publish a dedicated public form for every type of digital accessibility complaint on the cited pages; submit complaints via the ADA Coordinator contact or the Communications Department contact methods listed on the city pages. Specific form names, numbers, fees, or deadlines are not specified on the cited pages.
What to expect after you report
After submission the city should acknowledge receipt and may investigate, request additional information, and schedule remediation. If the issue involves third-party content or hosted platforms there may be coordination with the vendor. If the city identifies a violation it may order remediation, which could lead to administrative follow-up or legal referral under the municipal code [2].
Common violations
- Images without alternative text.
- Forms that are not keyboard accessible or lack proper labels.
- PDFs and documents that are not tagged for screen readers.
- Navigation or menus that cannot be operated by assistive technologies.
FAQ
- How do I file a website accessibility complaint?
- Gather the page URL, screenshots, browser and assistive tech details, then submit via the Communications Department accessibility contact or the ADA Coordinator as listed on the city pages website accessibility[1].
- What information should I include?
- Include the exact URL, steps to reproduce, screenshots or video, and the device/browser/assistive technology used.
- How long until the city responds?
- A response timeframe is not specified on the cited pages; request acknowledgement when you submit the report and ask for an estimated timeline.
How-To
- Identify the problem page and reproduce the issue while recording the steps.
- Take screenshots or a short screen recording showing the barrier.
- Draft a brief description with browser, device, and assistive technology details.
- Submit the report to the Communications accessibility contact or ADA Coordinator using the city contact methods; request acknowledgement.
- If you do not receive action, follow up and consider requesting an administrative review or consult the municipal code for enforcement pathways.
Key Takeaways
- Report with clear evidence: URL, steps, screenshots, and assistive tech used.
- Use the city Communications accessibility contact or ADA Coordinator to submit complaints.
- Specific fines, timelines, and forms are not specified on the cited municipal pages; consult the municipal code for enforcement details.
Help and Support / Resources
- City of Virginia Beach - Website accessibility
- City of Virginia Beach - ADA Coordinator / Human Resources
- Virginia Beach Code of Ordinances (Municode)