2012 Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction Pocket Guide

208 Parking Spaces

208.1 General. Where parking spaces are provided, parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with 208. See section 502.5 requirements for van parking in structures.

EXCEPTION: Parking spaces used exclusively for buses, trucks, other delivery vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, or vehicular impound shall not be required to comply with 208 provided that lots accessed by the public are provided with a passenger loading zone complying with 503.

208.1.1 The removal of architectural barriers from a parking facility in accordance with 28 C.F.R. Section 36.304 or with Section 553.508, F. S., must comply with this section unless compliance would cause the barrier removal not to be readily achievable. If compliance would cause the barrier removal not to be readily achievable, a facility may provide parking spaces at alternative locations for persons who have disabilities and provide appropriate signage directing such persons to the alternative parking if readily achievable. The facility may not reduce the required number or dimensions of those spaces or unreasonably increase the length of the accessible route from a parking space to the facility. The removal of an architectural barrier must not create a significant risk to the health or safety of a person who has a disability or to that of others.

208.1.2 A facility that is making alterations under section 202 as required by s.303(a) of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 must comply with section 208 to the maximum extent feasible. If compliance with parking location requirements is not feasible, the facility may provide parking spaces at alternative locations for persons who have disabilities and provide appropriate signage directing such persons to alternative parking. The facility may not reduce the required number or dimensions of those spaces, or unnecessarily increase the length of the accessible route from a parking space to the facility. The alteration must not create a significant risk to the health or safety of a person who has a disability or to others.

208.2 Minimum Number. Parking spaces complying with 502 shall be provided in accordance with Table 208.2 except as required by 208.2.1, 208.2.2, and 208.2.3. Where more than one parking facility is provided on a site, the number of accessible spaces provided on the site shall be calculated according to the number of spaces required for each parking facility.

The number of parking spaces for persons who have disabilities must be increased on the basis of demonstrated and documented need.

Table 208.2 Parking Spaces

208.2.1 Hospital Outpatient Facilities. Ten percent of patient and visitor parking spaces provided to serve hospital outpatient facilities shall comply with 502.

208.2.2 Rehabilitation Facilities and Outpatient Physical Therapy Facilities. Twenty percent of patient and visitor parking spaces provided to serve rehabilitation facilities specializing in treating conditions that affect mobility and outpatient physical therapy facilities shall comply with 502.

208.2.3 Residential Facilities. Parking spaces provided to serve residential facilities shall comply with 208.2.3.

208.2.3.1 Parking for Residents. Where at least one parking space is provided for each residential dwelling unit, at least one parking space complying with 502 shall be provided for each residential dwelling unit required to provide mobility features complying with 809.2 through 809.4.

208.2.3.2 Additional Parking Spaces for Residents. Where the total number of parking spaces provided for each residential dwelling unit exceeds one parking space per residential dwelling unit, 2 percent, but no fewer than one space, of all the parking spaces not covered by 208.2.3.1 shall comply with 502.

208.2.3.3 Parking for Guests, Employees, and Other Non-Residents. Where parking spaces are provided for persons other than residents, parking shall be provided in accordance with Table 208.2.

208.2.4 Van Parking Spaces. Where van parking is provided pursuant to section 502.2, for every six or fraction of six parking spaces required by 208.2 to comply with 502, at least one shall be a van parking space complying with 502.

208.2.5 Parking Spaces Provided by State Agencies and Political Subdivisions.

208.2.5.1 There must be one accessible parking space in the immediate vicinity of a publicly owned or leased building that houses a governmental entity or a political subdivision, including, but not limited to, state office buildings and courthouses, if parking for the public is not provided on the premises of the building.

208.2.5.2 There must be one accessible parking space for each 150 metered on-street parking spaces provided by state agencies and political subdivisions.

Exception: State agencies and political subdivisions having jurisdiction over street parking or publicly owned or operated parking facilities are not required to provide a greater right-of-way width than would otherwise be planned under regulations, guidelines, or practices normally applied to new development.

208.3 Location. Parking facilities shall comply with 208.3.

208.3.1 General. Designated accessible spaces shall be designed and marked for the exclusive use of those individuals who have a severe physical disability and have permanent or temporary mobility problems that substantially impair their ability to ambulate and who have been issued either a disabled parking permit under s. 316.1958 or s. 320.0848 or a license plate under s. 320.084, s. 320.0842, s. 320.0843, or s. 320.0845. Parking spaces complying with 502 that serve a particular building or facility shall be located on the shortest accessible route from parking to an entrance complying with 206.4. All spaces must be located on an accessible route that is at least 44 inches (1118 mm) wide and so that users are not compelled to walk or wheel behind parked vehicles except behind his or her own vehicle. Where parking serves more than one accessible entrance, parking spaces complying with 502 shall be dispersed and located on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrances. If there are multiple entrances for multiple retail stores the parking spaces must be dispersed to provide parking at the nearest accessible entrance. In parking facilities that do not serve a particular building or facility, parking spaces complying with 502 shall be located on the shortest accessible route to an accessible pedestrian entrance of the parking facility.

EXCEPTIONS: 1. All van parking spaces shall be permitted to be grouped on one level within a multi-story parking facility.

2. Parking spaces shall be permitted to be located in different parking facilities if substantially equivalent or greater accessibility is provided in terms of distance from an accessible entrance or entrances, parking fee, and user convenience.

3. If a theme park or an entertainment complex provides parking in several lots or areas from which access to the theme park or entertainment complex is provided, a single lot or area may be designated for parking by persons who have disabilities, if the lot or area is located on the shortest accessible route to an accessible entrance to the theme park or entertainment complex or to transportation to such an accessible entrance.

4. A theme park or an entertainment complex in which are provided continuous attendant services for directing individuals to marked accessible parking spaces or designated lots for parking by persons who have disabilities, may, in lieu of the required parking space design, provide parking spaces that comply with Sections 208 and 502 of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

208.3.2 Residential Facilities. In residential facilities containing residential dwelling units required to provide mobility features complying with 809.2 through 809.4, parking spaces provided in accordance with 208.2.3.1 shall be located on the shortest accessible route to the residential dwelling unit entrance they serve. Spaces provided in accordance with 208.2.3.2 shall be dispersed throughout all types of parking provided for the residential dwelling units.

EXCEPTION: Parking spaces provided in accordance with 208.2.3.2 shall not be required to be dispersed throughout all types of parking if substantially equivalent or greater accessibility is provided in terms of distance from an accessible entrance, parking fee, and user convenience.