(a) All buildings shall conform to the requirements set forth in the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines set forth in 24 C.F.R. Chapter 1 and set forth in the Fair Housing Act Design Manual issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. No building permit shall be issued for any covered multi-family dwellings unless they are so designed and constructed as to have at least one building entrance on an accessible route unless it is impractical to do so because of the terrain or unusual characteristics of the site. For purposes of this section, the burden of establishing impracticality because of terrain or unusual site characteristics is on the person or persons who have designed and/or proposed to construct the facility.
(b) No building permit shall be issued for any covered multi-family dwelling with a building entrance on an accessible route unless the building is designed and proposed to be constructed in such a manner that:
(1) The public and common use areas are readily accessible to and useful by handicapped persons;
(2) All the doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises are sufficiently wide to allow passage by handicapped persons in wheelchairs; and
(3) All premises within covered multi-family dwelling units contain, at a minimum, the following features of adaptable design:
A. An accessible route into and through the covered dwelling unit;
B. Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations;
C. Reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars around the toilet, tub, shower stall and show seat, where such facilities are provided; and
D. Usable kitchens and bathrooms such that an individual in a wheelchair can maneuver about the space.
Compliance with the appropriate requirements of ANSI A117.1-1986 suffices to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.
(Ord. 6-98. Passed 5-28-98.)