Issue: Vertical accessibility to all rows of seats in a new $96,000,000 educational rehearsal and performing facility.
Analysis: The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to all levels of seats in a 700 seat performance hall. The applicant has provided 12 wheelchair while the code requires 11. Some wheelchair locations may need to be revised as the plans do not clearly indicate all required companion seating will be provided. Seating in this facility is flexible and can be reconfigured for the specific type of performance taking place. No quotes were submitted as the applicant is not claiming financial hardship, but rather technical infeasibility.
Project Progress:
The project is in plan review.
Items to be Waived:
Vertical accessibility to all rows of seats, as required by Section 553.509, Florida Statutes.
553.509 Vertical accessibility. Nothing in Sections 553.501-553.513 or the guidelines shall be construed to relieve the owner of any building, structure or facility governed by those sections from the duty to provide vertical accessibility to all levels above and below the occupiable grade level regardless of whether the guidelines require an elevator to be installed in such building, structure or facility, except for:
(1) Elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical rooms, piping or equipment catwalks and automobile lubrication and maintenance pits and platforms;
(2) Unoccupiable spaces, such as rooms, enclosed spaces and storage spaces that are not designed for human occupancy, for public accommodations or for work areas; and
(3) Occupiable spaces and rooms that are not open to the public and that house no more than five persons, including, but not limited to equipment control rooms and projection booths.
Waiver Criteria: There is no specific guidance for a waiver of this requirement in the code. The Commission’s current rule, authorized in Section 553.512, Florida Statutes, provides criteria for granting waivers and allows consideration of unnecessary or extreme hardship to the applicant if the specific requirements were imposed.