City of Sparks Accessibility Policy 

WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliance 

Last updated: 9/15/2026

  1. Purpose

The City of Sparks is committed to ensuring that all digital services, programs, and information are accessible to all individuals, including people with disabilities. This policy establishes the City’s commitment to providing accessible digital content in accordance with recognized accessibility standards and applicable laws. 

  1. Scope

This policy applies to all City of Sparks digital assets going forward from the date of this policy, including but not limited to: 

  • Public-facing websites and web applications 
  • Mobile applications 
  • Non-archived Digital documents (e.g., PDFs, Word documents, presentations) 
  • Online forms and services 
  • Multimedia content (e.g., audio, video, maps) 
  • Social media platform content
  • Third-party platforms used to deliver City services (to the extent feasible)  
  1. Policy Statement

The City of Sparks will make reasonable efforts to ensure that all covered digital content and services conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA, as published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Accessibility will be incorporated into the design, development, procurement, and maintenance of digital services. 

  1. Legal Compliance

The City of Sparks is committed to complying with all applicable accessibility laws and regulations, including: 

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II 
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (as applicable to electronic and information technology) 
  • State of Nevada accessibility requirements and policies  

Where conflicts arise, the City will adhere to the most stringent applicable standard. 

  1. Accessibility Standards

The City adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the minimum standard for digital accessibility. These guidelines are based on four core principles: 

  • Perceivable – Information must be presented in ways users can perceive 
  • Operable – User interface components must be usable by all users 
  • Understandable – Information and operation must be clear and predictable 
  • Robust – Content must be compatible with assistive technologies  

The WCAG 2.1 Level AA provides accessibility exceptions for certain documents. The City has Archived Documents on its website that may not be readable using currently available assistive technologies.  

  1. Responsibilities: 

All departments and content editors will, to the best of their ability: 

  • Ensure content they publish meets accessibility standards 
  • Use approved templates and accessible document formats 
  • Address accessibility issues in a timely manner  

The Information Technology (IT) Department will: 

  • Provide accessible platforms, tools, and infrastructure 
  • Integrate accessibility into development processes 
  • Conduct accessibility testing and audits and oversee third-party software audits  

The Communications / Web Team will: 

  • Maintain accessibility standards for the City website 
  • Provide guidance and training on accessible content creation 
  • Monitor and assist in remediating accessibility issues  
  1. Implementation Practices

The City of Sparks will support accessibility through the following practices where practicable: 

  • Use of semantic HTML and accessible coding practices 
  • Keyboard navigability for interactive elements 
  • Appropriate color contrast and readable typography 
  • Alternative text for images and other non-text content 
  • Captions and transcripts for multimedia 
  • Accessible forms with proper labels, instructions, and error handling 
  • Consistent navigation and predictable interfaces  
  1. Testing and Evaluation

Accessibility will be evaluated through: 

  • Automated testing tools 
  • Manual internal testing (e.g., keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility) 
  • Periodic audits of digital assets 
  • Remediation workflows to address identified issues  
  1. Procurement and Third-Party Content

The City of Sparks will require vendors and contractors to demonstrate compliance with accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1 AA, when procuring digital products and services. 

Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) or equivalent documentation may be required. 

  1. Feedback and Accommodation Requests

The City of Sparks welcomes feedback regarding any identified accessibility barriers. 

If you experience difficulty accessing any City content or services, please contact us: 

  • Email: communications@sparksnv.gov
  • Phone: (775) 353-7894  

The City will make reasonable efforts to respond within 3–5 business days and provide alternative access where possible. 

  1. Ongoing Improvement

The City of Sparks is committed to continuous improvement by: 

  • Conducting periodic accessibility audits 
  • Providing staff training on accessibility best practices 
  • Updating policies and standards as technologies and regulations evolve  
  1. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legal requirements, technology, and community needs.