ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
March 26, 2007
The Council convened at 9:10 a.m. with a 5 member quorum.
Consent Agenda:
Case #3 – The Cameo Theater. The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to all raised seating areas of in a theater listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the alterations are to floors and finishes. The applicant is also seeking relief from providing handrails. The Council unanimously recommended approval of vertical accessibility to all seating areas based on the exemption provisions related to historic buildings. The Council denied the request as it relates to the handrails due to lack of jurisdiction, as it is not a Florida specific code provision, with a recommendation that the local building official review the Florida Accessibility Code provisions related to historic buildings which provide local authority exemptions for historic buildings.
Case #4- Gwen Cheery Park. The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to all rows of seats in two bleachers located in an existing county park. This request is for both phase 1 and phase 2 of the bleacher project. The Council unanimously recommended approval based on the provisions of F.S. 553.512 related to technical infeasibility and unreasonable. The Council also recommended they add additional accessible parking spaces in the adjacent parking area.
Case #5 – Congo River Golf. The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to 9 of the 18 holes of a miniature golf course. The Council unanimously recommended approval based on the provisions of F.S. 553.512 related to unreasonable with the condition they provide adequate signage and instructional handouts for accessible play.
Denied Cases:
Case #1 – Sand Castle Real Estate Office. The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to the new second floor addition of an existing building costing $233,000. This case was deferred at the last meeting for the applicant to provide additional information. No additional information was provided. Based on the facts of the application, the Council unanimously recommended denial due to lack of hardship. The Council also recommended that the order include that the new toilet room on the new second floor is required to be accessible.
Deferred Cases:
Case #2 – Gables Cititower. The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to an office tenant space, undergoing alterations costing $65,000 that is elevated approximately 4 feet above the first floor elevation. The applicant's representative stated that this alteration is an expansion of an existing real estate office located on the 5 th floor. No plans were provided to verify accessibility. The applicant's representative also presented the sign-off of the local building department that indicated there has been permitted renovations to the existing building in the last 3 years but did not provide the cost of this permitted construction. Therefore, the Council unanimously recommended deferral for the applicant to provide the existing real estate office floor plans and cost of permitted construction from the last 3 years to verify the hardship.