2022 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2023)

11B-221.2 Wheelchair spaces.

Wheelchair spaces complying with Section 11B-221.2 shall be provided in assembly areas with fixed seating.

NOTE: When required wheelchair spaces are not occupied by persons eligible for those spaces, individual, removable seats may be placed in those spaces.

Advisory 11B-221.2 Wheelchair spaces. Additional information regarding wheelchair accessible seating in venues that sell tickets for assigned seats is available on the US Department of Justice website at http://www.ada.gov/ticketing_2010.htm. ◼

11B-221.2.1 Number and location.

Wheelchair spaces shall be provided complying with Section 11B-221.2.1.

11B-221.2.1.1 General seating.

Wheelchair spaces complying with Section 11B-802.1 shall be provided in accordance with Table 11B-221.2.1.1.

TABLE 11B-221.2.1.1 NUMBER OF WHEELCHAIR SPACES IN ASSEMBLY AREAS

11B-221.2.1.2 Luxury boxes, club boxes, and suites in arenas, stadiums, and grandstands.

In each luxury box, club box, and suite within arenas, stadiums, and grandstands, wheelchair spaces complying with Section 11B-802.1 shall be provided in accordance with Table 11B-221.2.1.1.

Advisory 11B-221.2.1.2 Luxury boxes, club boxes, and suites in arenas, stadiums, and grandstands. The number of wheelchair spaces required in luxury boxes, club boxes, and suites within an arena, stadium, or grandstand is to be calculated box by box and suite by suite. ◼

11B-221.2.1.3 Other boxes.

In boxes other than those required to comply with Section 11B-221.2.1.2, the total number of wheelchair spaces required shall be determined in accordance with Table 11B-221.2.1.1. Wheelchair spaces shall be located in not less than 20 percent of all boxes provided. Wheelchair spaces shall comply with Section 11B-802.1.

Advisory 11B-221.2.1.3 Other boxes. The provision for seating in "other boxes" includes box seating provided in facilities such as performing arts auditoria where tiered boxes are designed for spatial and acoustical purposes. The number of wheelchair spaces required in boxes covered by Section 11B-221.2.1.3 is calculated based on the total number of seats provided in these other boxes. The resulting number of wheelchair spaces must be located in no fewer than 20% of the boxes covered by this section. For example, a concert hall has 20 boxes, each of which contains 10 seats, totaling 200 seats. In this example, 5 wheelchair spaces would be required, and they must be placed in at least 4 of the boxes. Additionally, because the wheelchair spaces must also meet the dispersion requirements of Section 11B-221.2.3, the boxes containing these wheelchair spaces cannot all be located in one area unless an exception to the dispersion requirements applies. ◼

11B-221.2.1.4 Team or player seating.

At least one wheelchair space complying with 11B-802.1 shall be provided in team or player seating areas serving areas of sport activity.

Exception: Wheelchair spaces shall not be required in team or player seating areas serving bowling lanes not required to comply with Section 11B-206.2.11.

11B-221.2.1.5 Stadium-style movie theaters.

In stadium-style movie theaters, the total number of wheelchair spaces required shall be determined in accordance with Table 11B-221.2.1.1. The required wheelchair spaces shall be located on risers or cross-aisles in the stadium section that satisfy at least one of the following criteria:

1. Located within the rear 60 percent of the seats provided in the theater; or
2. Located within the area of the theater in which the vertical viewing angles (as measured to the top of the screen) are from the 40^th to the 100^th percentile of vertical viewing angles for all seats as ranked from the seats in the first row (1^st percentile) to seats in the back row (100^th percentile).

11B-221.2.1.6 Specialty seating areas.

In assembly areas, wheelchair spaces shall be provided in each specialty seating area that provides spectators with distinct services or amenities that generally are not available to other spectators. The number of wheelchair spaces provided in specialty seating areas shall be included in, rather than be in addition to, the total number of wheelchair spaces required by Table 11B-221.2.1.1.

Exception: In existing buildings and facilities, if it is not readily achievable for wheelchair spaces to be placed in each specialty seating area, those services or amenities shall be provided to individuals with disabilities, and their companions, at other designated accessible locations at no additional cost.

[ADA Title III] §36.308 Seating in assembly areas.  A public accommodation shall ensure that wheelchair spaces and companion seats are provided in each specialty seating area that provides spectators with distinct services or amenities that generally are not available to other spectators. If it is not readily achievable for a public accommodation to place wheelchair spaces and companion seats in each such specialty seating area, it shall provide those services or amenities to individuals with disabilities and their companions at other designated accessible locations at no additional cost. The number of wheelchair spaces and companion seats provided in specialty seating areas shall be included in, rather than in addition to, wheelchair space requirements set forth in table 221.2.1.1 in the 2010 Standards.

11B-221.2.2 Integration.

Wheelchair spaces shall be an integral part of the seating plan.

Advisory 11B-221.2.2 Integration. The requirement that wheelchair spaces be an "integral part of the seating plan" means that wheelchair spaces must be placed within the footprint of the seating area. Wheelchair spaces cannot be segregated from seating areas. For example, it would be unacceptable to place only the wheelchair spaces, or only the wheelchair spaces and their associated companion seats, outside the seating areas defined by risers in an assembly area. ◼

11B-221.2.3 Lines of sight and dispersion.

Wheelchair spaces shall provide lines of sight complying with Section 11B-802.2 and shall comply with Section 11B-221.2.3. In providing lines of sight, wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed. Wheelchair spaces shall provide spectators with choices of seating locations and viewing angles that are substantially equivalent to, or better than, the choices of seating locations and viewing angles available to all other spectators. When the number of wheelchair spaces required by Section 11B-221.2.1 has been met, further dispersion shall not be required. In stadiums, arenas and grandstands, wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed to all levels that include seating served by an accessible route.

[2010 ADA Standards] 221.2.3 Lines of Sight and Dispersion. Wheelchair spaces shall provide lines of sight complying with 802.2 and shall comply with 221.2.3. In providing lines of sight, wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed. Wheelchair spaces shall provide spectators with choices of seating locations and viewing angles that are substantially equivalent to, or better than, the choices of seating locations and viewing angles available to all other spectators. When the number of wheelchair spaces required by 221.2.1 has been met, further dispersion shall not be required.

Exception: Wheelchair spaces in team or player seating areas serving areas of sport activity shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-221.2.3.

Advisory 11B-221.2.3 Lines of sight and dispersion. Consistent with the overall intent of the ADA, individuals who use wheelchairs must be provided equal access so that their experience is substantially equivalent to that of other members of the audience. Thus, while individuals who use wheelchairs need not be provided with the best seats in the house, neither may they be relegated to the worst. ◼

11B-221.2.3.1 Horizontal dispersion.

Wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed horizontally. In assembly areas that have seating encircling, in whole or in part, a field of play or performance, wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed horizontally around the field of play or performance area.

[2010 ADA Standards] 221.2.3.1 Horizontal Dispersion. Wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed horizontally.

Exceptions:

1. Horizontal dispersion shall not be required in assembly areas with 300 or fewer seats if the companion seats required by Section 11B-221.3 and wheelchair spaces are located within the 2^nd or 3^rd quartile of the total row length. Intermediate aisles shall be included in determining the total row length. If the row length in the 2^nd and 3^rd quartile of a row is insufficient to accommodate the required number of companion seats and wheelchair spaces, the additional companion seats and wheelchair spaces shall be permitted to be located in the 1^st and 4^th quartile of the row.
2. In row seating, two wheelchair spaces shall be permitted to be located side-by-side.

Advisory 11B-221.2.3.1 Horizontal dispersion. Horizontal dispersion of wheelchair spaces is the placement of spaces in an assembly facility seating area from side-to-side or, in the case of an arena or stadium, around the field of play or performance area. ◼

11B-221.2.3.2 Vertical dispersion.

Wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed vertically at varying distances from the screen, performance area, or playing field. In addition, wheelchair spaces shall be located in each balcony or mezzanine that is located on an accessible route.

Advisory 11B-221.2.3.2 Vertical dispersion. When wheelchair spaces are dispersed vertically in an assembly facility they are placed at different locations within the seating area from front-to-back so that the distance from the screen, stage, playing field, area of sports activity, or other focal point is varied among wheelchair spaces. ◼

Exceptions:

1. Vertical dispersion shall not be required in assembly areas with 300 or fewer seats if the wheelchair spaces provide viewing angles that are equivalent to, or better than, the average viewing angle provided in the facility.
2. In bleachers, wheelchair spaces shall not be required to be provided in rows other than rows at points of entry to bleacher seating.

Advisory 11B-221.2.3.2 Vertical dispersion Exception 2. Points of entry to bleacher seating may include, but are not limited to, cross aisles, concourses, vomitories, and entrance ramps and stairs. Vertical, center, or side aisles adjoining bleacher seating that are stepped or tiered are not considered entry points. ◼

Advisory 11B-221.2.3.2 Vertical dispersion Exception 2. Designing spectator seating for accessibility can be more complicated when folding bleachers are utilized. The lower rows of bleacher seats in a bank of bleachers often are omitted to allow for wheelchair positions with companion seating provided on the end of the adjacent row or on portable chairs. ◼

11B-221.2.4 Temporary structures.

Wheelchair spaces shall not be located on, or be obstructed by, temporary platforms or other movable structures.

Exception: When an entire seating section is placed on temporary platforms or other movable structures in an area where fixed seating is not provided, in order to increase seating for an event, wheelchair spaces may be placed in that section.

Advisory 11B-221.2.5 [sic] Removable chairs. Readily removable seats should be designed to facilitate easy, timely and frequent removal and installation. If mechanically fastened to the floor the release mechanisms need to be easily operated by untrained individuals without special tools or knowledge. Seats which have been removed need to be stored so as not to create obstructions. ◼