Downtown businesses that receive a facelift with the help of a City of Minot facade improvement program should be required to install electronic doors, the Renaissance Zone Review Board decided Thursday.

The board recently became aware that the facade program is turning out attractive storefronts that frustrate people in wheelchairs or with other mobility issues due to lack of any electronic door opening features. Billi Gunderson, a downtown resident who uses a wheelchair, brought the matter to the board’s attention.

“It’s nice to be invited, but it’s different than being included,” Gunderson told the board. “I think people in wheelchairs should be included.”

Board members agreed that push-button door openers should be part of facade improvements. The board briefly discussed doorbells as an option before discarding the idea after Gunderson indicated doorbells would not only be offensive in singling out disabled individuals but would be challenging as a practical matter for businesses.

The board discussed the uneven playing field created in requiring some downtown businesses to install push-button doors while other businesses operate outside that requirement. There is no requirement for electronic doors in the International Building Code adopted by the city.

“We’re not going to solve the city as a whole, but we have an opportunity here to make a difference with everything that goes through this program in particular,” said board member Justin Anderson.

The recommendation approved by the board would require facade projects going forward to include push-button operation for a main door. The facade program would add $5,000 to the forgivable loan maximum of $100,000 for a single facade and $180,000 for a double facade to assist with the cost of the door. Businesses already approved in the facade program or that have completed their projects could receive another $5,000 toward installing the door feature.

The proposal now goes to the Minot City Council for its consideration.

“I’m not all about regulations,” board member Pat Bailey said, “but in some instances, there are some common sense-related issues. And to me, this is kind of common sense.”

Bailey said the requirement would be a good addition to the city’s building code for new construction or certain remodeling projects. Also a member of a city steering committee that has been reviewing the zoning ordinance for revisions, Bailey said it is an item he plans to bring up with the chairman to see if it might be a topic for the committee’s review.