Westport inn and restaurant reach settlement over ADA compliance

The U.S. Attorney”™s Office for Connecticut has reached settlement agreements with the Town of Westport and two local establishments, the Inn at Longshore and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant, related to charges that they were not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The settlement resolves an ADA complaint brought by an unnamed claimant who said the establishments could not be accessed by the disabled. The Inn at Longshore leases its premises from the town and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant leases its premises from the Inn at Longshore. The town provides parking facilities for both entities.

In the settlement, the town and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant stated they will make improvements to ensure ADA compliance over the next six months, while the Inn at Longshore said it would continue to make improvements over the next two years.

Among the improvements to be enacted are an increased accessibility to the entrance to the inn, doubling the number of accessible parking spaces, adding an accessible bathroom for use by restaurant patrons and visitors to the inn, providing guest rooms with communication features designed for people with disabilities, ensuring the restaurant”™s porch is accessible and increasing the number of accessible dining seats within the restaurant.

No financial penalty was announced as part of the settlement.