The Florida Senate

553.504  Exceptions to applicability of the guidelines.--Notwithstanding the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines in s. 553.503, all buildings, structures, and facilities in this state shall meet the following additional requirements when they provide increased accessibility:

(1)  All new or altered buildings and facilities subject to ss. 553.501-553.513 which may be frequented in, lived in, or worked in by the public shall comply with ss. 553.501-553.513.

(2)  All new single-family houses, duplexes, triplexes, condominiums, and townhouses shall provide at least one bathroom, located with maximum possible privacy, where bathrooms are provided on habitable grade levels, with a door that has a 29-inch clear opening. However, if only a toilet room is provided at grade level, such toilet room shall have a clear opening of not less than 29 inches.

(3)  All required doors and walk-through openings in buildings excluding single-family homes, duplexes, and triplexes not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or the Fair Housing Act shall have at least 29 inches of clear width except under ss. 553.501-553.513.

(4)  In addition to the requirements in reference 4.8.4 of the guidelines, all landings on ramps shall be not less than 60 inches clear, and the bottom of each ramp shall have not less than 72 inches of straight and level clearance.

(5)  All curb ramps shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

(a)  Notwithstanding the requirements of reference 4.8.5.2 of the guidelines, handrails on ramps which are not continuous shall extend not less than 18 inches beyond the sloped segment at both the top and bottom, and shall be parallel to the floor or ground surface.

(b)  Notwithstanding the requirements of references 4.3.3 and 4.8.3 of the guidelines, curb ramps that are part of a required means of egress shall be not less than 44 inches wide.

(c)  Notwithstanding the requirements of reference 4.7.5 of the guidelines, curb ramps located where pedestrians must use them and all curb ramps which are not protected by handrails or guardrails shall have flared sides with a slope not exceeding a ratio of 1 to 12.

(6)  Notwithstanding the requirements in reference 4.13.11 of the guidelines, exterior hinged doors shall be so designed that such doors can be pushed or pulled open with a force not exceeding 8.5 foot pounds.

(7)  Notwithstanding the requirements in reference 4.33.1 of the guidelines, all public food service establishments, all establishments licensed under the Beverage Law for consumption on the premises, and all facilities governed by reference 4.1 of the guidelines shall provide seating or spaces for seating in accordance with the following requirements:

(a)  For the first 100 fixed seats, accessible and usable spaces must be provided consistent with the following table:


  Capacity of Seating

Number of Required 

Wheelchair Locations 

(b)  For all remaining fixed seats, there shall be not less than one such accessible and usable space for each 100 fixed seats or fraction thereof.

(8)  Notwithstanding the requirements in references 4.32.1-4.32.4 of the guidelines, all fixed seating in public food service establishments, in establishments licensed under the Beverage Law for consumption on the premises, and in all other facilities governed by reference 4.1 of the guidelines shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

(a)  All aisles adjacent to fixed seating shall provide clear space for wheelchairs.

(b)  Where there are open positions along both sides of such aisles, the aisles shall be not less than 52 inches wide.

(9)  In motels and hotels a number of rooms equaling at least 5 percent of the guest rooms minus the number of accessible rooms required by the guidelines shall provide the following special accessibility features:

(a)  Grab rails in bathrooms and toilet rooms that comply with s. 4.16.4 of the guidelines.

(b)  All beds in designed accessible guest rooms shall be open-frame type to permit passage of lift devices.

(c)  All standard water closet seats shall be at a height of 15 inches, measured vertically from the finished floor to the top of the seat, with a variation of plus or minus 1/2 inch. A portable or attached raised toilet seat shall be provided in all designated handicapped accessible rooms.

All buildings, structures, or facilities licensed as a hotel, motel, or condominium pursuant to chapter 509 shall be subject to the provisions of this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as relieving the owner of the responsibility of providing accessible rooms in conformance with ss. 9.1-9.5 of the guidelines.

(10)  Notwithstanding the requirements in reference 4.29.2 of the guidelines, all detectable warning surfaces required by the guidelines shall be governed by the requirements of American National Standards Institute A117.1-1986.

(11)  Notwithstanding the requirements in references 4.31.2 and 4.31.3 of the guidelines, the installation and placement of all public telephones shall be governed by the rules of the Florida Public Service Commission.

(12)  Notwithstanding the requirements in references 4.1.3(11) and 4.16-4.23 of the guidelines, required restrooms and toilet rooms in new construction shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

(a)  The standard accessible restroom stall shall contain an accessible lavatory within it, the size of such lavatory to be not less than 19 inches wide by 17 inches deep, nominal size, and wall-mounted. The lavatory shall be mounted so as not to overlap the clear floor space areas required by s. 4.17 figure 30(a) of the guidelines for the standard accessible stall and to comply with s. 4.19 of the guidelines. Such lavatories shall be counted as part of the required fixture count for the building.

(b)  The accessible water closet shall be located in the corner, diagonal to the door.

(c)  The accessible stall door shall be self-closing.

(13)  All customer checkout aisles not required by the guidelines to be handicapped accessible shall have at least 32 inches of clear passage.

(14)  Turnstiles shall not be used in occupancies which serve fewer than 100 persons, but turnstiles may be used in occupancies which serve at least 100 persons if there is an unlocked alternate passageway on an accessible route affording not less than 32 inches of clearance, equipped with latching devices in accordance with the guidelines.

(15)  Barriers at common or emergency entrances and exits of business establishments conducting business with the general public that are existing, under construction, or under contract for construction which would prevent a person from using such entrances or exits shall be removed.

History.--s. 1, ch. 93-183; s. 3, ch. 97-76.