2012 Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction Pocket Guide
201.1 Scope. This code establishes standards for accessibility to places of public accommodation and commercial facilities by individuals with disabilities. This code shall also apply: to state and local government facilities pursuant to Section 553.503, F.S.; to private clubs pursuant to Section 553.505, F.S.; and to residential buildings pursuant to Section 553.504(2), F.S., and the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. All new or altered public buildings and facilities, private buildings and facilities, places of public accommodation and commercial facilities subject to this code shall comply with this code.
This code applies to: All areas of newly designed and newly constructed buildings and facilities as determined by the ADA Standards for Accessible Design; portions of altered buildings and facilities as determined by the ADA Standards for Accessible Design; a building or facility that is being converted from residential to nonresidential or mixed use as defined by the Florida Building Code where such building or facility must, at a minimum, comply with s. 553.508, F.S., and the requirements for alterations as determined by the ADA Standards for Accessible Design; buildings and facilities where the original construction or any former alteration or renovation was carried out in violation of applicable permitting law.
2010 ADA Standards 201.1 Scope. All areas of newly designed and newly constructed buildings and facilities and altered portions of existing buildings and facilities shall comply with these requirements.
201.1.1 Vertical accessibility. Sections 553.501-553.513, F.S., and the ADA Standards for Accessible Design do not relieve the owner of any building, structure or facility governed by those sections from the duty to provide vertical accessibility to all levels above and below the occupiable grade level regardless of whether the Standards require an elevator to be installed in such building, structure or facility, except for:
(1) Elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical rooms, piping or equipment catwalks and automobile lubrication and maintenance pits and platforms.
(2) Unoccupiable spaces, such as rooms, enclosed spaces and storage spaces that are not designed for human occupancy, for public accommodations or for work areas.
(3) Occupiable spaces and rooms that are not open to the public and that house no more than five persons, including, but not limited to equipment control rooms and projection booths.
(4) Theaters, concert halls, and stadiums, or other large assembly areas that have stadium-style seating or tiered seating if sections 221 and 802 are met.
(5) All play and recreation areas if the requirements of chapter 10 are met.
(6) All employee areas as exempted by 203.9.
(7) Facilities, sites and spaces exempted by section 203.
Buildings, structures and facilities must, at a minimum, comply with the requirements of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Advisory 201.1 Scope. These requirements are to be applied to all areas of a facility unless exempted, or where scoping limits the number of multiple elements required to be accessible. For example, not all medical care patient rooms are required to be accessible; those that are not required to be accessible are not required to comply with these requirements. However, common use and public use spaces such as recovery rooms, examination rooms, and cafeterias are not exempt from these requirements and must be accessible.
Florida vertical accessibility requires all levels in all new buildings, structures and facilities and all altered areas of existing buildings, structures and facilities to be accessible to persons with disabilities. All new and altered areas must comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design including requirements for accessible routes. Where the ADA Standards do not require an accessible route to each and every level the Florida requirement may be waived down to the requirement of the ADA Standards.
201.2 Application Based on Building or Facility Use. Where a site, building, facility, room, or space contains more than one use, each portion shall comply with the applicable requirements for that use.
201.2.1 Commercial facilities and places of public accommodation located in private residences.
201.2.1.1 When a commercial facility or place of public accommodation is located in a private residence, the portion of the residence used exclusively as a residence is not covered by this subpart, but that portion used exclusively in the operation of the commercial facility or that portion used both for the commercial facility and for residential purposes is covered by the new construction and alterations requirements of this subpart.
201.2.2.2 The portion of the residence covered under paragraph (b)(1) of this section extends to those elements used to enter the commercial facility, including the homeowner´s front sidewalk, if any, the door or entryway, and hallways; and those portions of the residence, interior or exterior, available to or used by employees or visitors or customers and clients of the commercial facility, including restrooms.
The numbering sequence for section 201.2.2.2 is not concurrent to the preceding section number, but is consistent to the source document.
201.3 Temporary and Permanent Structures. These requirements shall apply to temporary and permanent buildings and facilities.
201.4 Scope of Coverage.
201.4 Scope of Coverage. This code applies to fixed or built-in elements of buildings, structures, site improvements and pedestrian routes or vehicular ways located on a site. Unless specifically stated otherwise, advisory notes, appendix notes and figures contained in the code explain or illustrate the requirements; they do not establish enforceable requirements.
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