2019 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2020 with July 1, 2021 amendments)

SECTION 1150A SITE IMPRACTICALITY TESTS

1150A.1 General.

Covered multifamily dwellings in buildings without an elevator, located on sites with difficult terrain conditions or unusual characteristics, may employ the site impracticality tests in this division for determining the accessibility and adaptability provisions required by this chapter.

Except as provided for in Section 1102A.3.1, the provisions of this section do not apply to multistory dwelling units in non-elevator buildings.

TEST NO. 1 – INDIVIDUAL BUILDING TEST

It is not required by this code to provide an accessible route when the terrain of the site is such that both of the following apply:

1. The slopes of the undisturbed site measured between the planned entrance and all vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance exceed 15 percent; and
2. The slopes of the planned finished grade measured between the entrance and all vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance also exceed 15 percent.

If there are no vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance, the slope for the purposes of Test No. 1 will be measured to the closest vehicular or pedestrian arrival point.

For purposes of these requirements, vehicular or pedestrian arrival points include public or resident parking areas, public transportation stops, passenger loading zones and public streets or sidewalks. To determine site impracticality, the slope would be measured at ground level from the point of the planned entrance on a straight line to (1) each vehicular or pedestrian arrival point that is within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance, or (2) if there are no vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within the specified area, the vehicular or pedestrian arrival point closest to the planned entrance. In the case of sidewalks, the closest point to the entrance will be where a public sidewalk entering the site intersects with the walk to the entrance. In the case of resident parking areas, the closest point to the planned entrance will be measured from the entry point to the parking area that is located closest to the planned entrance.

TEST NO. 2 – SITE ANALYSIS TEST

For a site having multiple buildings, or a site with a single building with multiple entrances, it is not required to provide an accessible route to all ground floor units under the following conditions:

1. Calculate the percentage of the total buildable area of the undisturbed site with a natural grade less than 10-percent slope. The analysis of the existing slope (before grading) shall be done on a topographic survey with 2-foot (610 mm) contour intervals with slope determination made between each successive interval. The accuracy of the slope analysis shall be certified by a licensed engineer, landscape architect, architect or surveyor.
2. Determine the requirement of providing an accessible route to planned multifamily dwellings based on the topography of the existing natural terrain. The minimum percentage of ground floor units required on an accessible route shall equal the percentage of the total buildable area (not restricted-use areas) of the undisturbed site with an existing natural grade of less than 10-percent slope. In no case shall less than 20 percent of the ground floor dwelling units be on an accessible route and comply with the provisions of Division IV.
3. In addition to the percentage established in paragraph (2), all additional ground floor units in a building, or ground floor units served by a particular entrance, that fall within an 8.33-percent slope between their planned entrances and an arrival point, shall be on an accessible route and comply with the provisions of Division IV.
4. All additional ground floor units in a building, or ground floor units served by a particular entrance, not on an accessible route shall comply with the features listed in Section 1150A.2.

TEST NO. 3 – UNUSUAL CHARACTERISTICS TEST

Unusual characteristics include sites located in a state or federally designated floodplain or coastal high-hazard areas and sites subject to other similar requirements of law or code that require the lowest floor or the lowest structural member of the lowest floor to be designed to a specified level at or above the base flood elevation. An accessible route to a building entrance is impractical due to unusual characteristics of the site when:

1. The original site characteristics result in a difference in finished grade elevation exceeding 30 inches (762 mm) and 10 percent measured between an entrance and all vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance; or
2. If there are no vehicular or pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet (15 240 mm) of the planned entrance, the unusual characteristics result in a difference in finished grade elevation exceeding 30 inches (762 mm) and 10 percent measured between an entrance and the closest vehicular or pedestrian arrival point.