Florida § 553.504 - Exceptions to applicability of the federal standards.

§ 553.504. Exceptions to applicability of the federal standards.

Notwithstanding the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design pursuant to s. 553.503, all buildings, structures, and facilities in this state must meet the following additional requirements if such requirements provide increased accessibility: (1) All new or altered public buildings and facilities, private buildings and facilities, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities, as those terms are defined by the standards, subject to this part, must comply with this part. (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 must have a clear opening of at least 29 inches. (3) Notwithstanding the requirements in s. 404.2.9 of the standards, exterior hinged doors must be designed so that such doors can be pushed or pulled open with a force not exceeding 8.5 foot pounds. (4) 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 standards must provide the following special accessibility features: (a) Grab rails in bathrooms and toilet rooms that comply with s. 604.5 of the standards. (b) All beds in designed accessible guest rooms must be an open-frame type that allows the passage of lift devices. (c) Water closets that comply with section 604.4 of the standards. All buildings, structures, or facilities licensed as a hotel, motel, or condominium pursuant to chapter 509 are subject to this subsection. This subsection does not relieve the owner of the responsibility of providing accessible rooms in conformance with ss. 224 and 806 of the standards. (5) Notwithstanding ss. 213 and 604 of the standards, required bathing rooms and toilet rooms in new construction shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following: (a) The wheelchair accessible toilet compartment must contain an accessible lavatory within it, which must be at least 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. 604 of the standards for the wheelchair accessible toilet compartment and comply with s. 606 of the standards. Such lavatories shall be counted as part of the required fixture count for the building. (b) The accessible water closet within the wheelchair accessible toilet compartment must be located in the corner, diagonal to the door. (6) 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 must be removed.