Small multifamily condo parking requirements

[Curious Coder]

Looking for guidance and examples for how parking accessibility is handled for the following circumstance: New construction of small multi-family (4 units) where 2 ground floor units are Type B. No rental office or other commercial space. Only internal common spaces are the shared entrance area/lobby for the first floor doors and the stairwell up to 2nd floor units. Located on a street with on-street parking and public transportation access.

Ideally there would be one off-street surface parking space provided per unit. What accessibility requirements would there be for the off-street parking? Would you require a van accessible space? And if so, how would the parking space assignments be handled?

 

[arwat23]

Not sure what jurisdiction this is in, but generally speaking, you're likely to need at least one accessible parking space. If a residential unit is required by code to be accessible, typically you need at least one accessible parking space. That space will need to be van accessible.

 

[Jay Smith]

Fair Housing requires accessible parking spaces for at least 2% of the covered units.

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

Looking for guidance and examples for how parking accessibility is handled for the following circumstance: New construction of small multi-family (4 units) where 2 ground floor units are Type B. No rental office or other commercial space. Only internal common spaces are the shared entrance area/lobby for the first floor doors and the stairwell up to 2nd floor units. Located on a street with on-street parking and public transportation access.

Ideally there would be one off-street surface parking space provided per unit. What accessibility requirements would there be for the off-street parking? Would you require a van accessible space? And if so, how would the parking space assignments be handled?

The Fair Housing Act Guidelines cover all multifamily housing with four or more units. You only need one parking space if you only have one unit, or at least 2% of the total number of four or more units. The parking does not need to be marked or have any signs. Just need to be 8 foot wide stall with 5 foot wide access aisle or 13 feet wide by the length your county requires for lengths of parking stalls. Here is a citation from HUD regarding the Fair Housing Act.
For example, Requirement 2 establishes minimal levels for accessible parking.
For residents:
• A minimum of accessible spaces equaling 2% of the spaces serving
covered ground-floor units and upon request by persons with disabilities.
• If provided, a minimum of one accessible space at each site facility, such
as swimming pool, mail kiosk, clubhouse, recreation facilities, etc.
For visitors (if visitor parking is provided):
• A sufficient number of accessible parking spaces to provide access to
grade level entrances of covered multifamily housing
• A minimum of one at sales/rental office

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

The FHAG does not require van accessible spaces even for commonly shared elements. Commonly share elements like Post office cluster boxes, swimming pool, visitor parking, would come under the 1986 ANSI A117.1 standard for accessible parking stall design. When DOJ sues under the FHAG they currently only look for compliance with the 1991 FHAG, 1986 ANSI A117.1 and the 1994 Supplement.

 

[mark handler]

Virginia Building Code Table 1106.2(1) Accessible Parking Spaces

Total Parking Spaces Provided	Required Minimum Number of Accessible Spaces
1 - 25	1

 

[Yikes]

Is this project located where you are, in Virginia?

 

[Curious Coder]

Hi all, thanks for taking the time to answer. So far this conforms what I am hearing from our officials. The Fair Housing Act does not require a VAN accessible space, but the VA Construction Code requires one accessible space and also requires that space to be a van accessible space, with the accompanying access aisle.

Follow up questions:

1.) Are there any requirements relating to the accessible aisle's surface -- if the driveway and parking space itself is designed for vehicular use, but the access aisle portion was designed as a simple surface walkway, would that comply with the code?

2.) Any thoughts on how the one van accessible space should be assigned to the units? If they are condos it seems like the spaces could not be sold as assigned to any particular unit and would have to remain commonly owned so the van accessible space could be assigned to an owner who requests it.

 

[arwat23]

1.) Are there any requirements relating to the accessible aisle's surface -- if the driveway and parking space itself is designed for vehicular use, but the access aisle portion was designed as a simple surface walkway, would that comply with the code?

You need an access aisle that complies with code (I believe Virginia uses ICC A117.1, so see section 502.4 for requirements). If the access aisle is at the same level as the parking, marked so as to discourage parking in the aisle, and have a floor surface that complies with 302, you're likely complying with code.

2.) Any thoughts on how the one van accessible space should be assigned to the units? If they are condos it seems like the spaces could not be sold as assigned to any particular unit and would have to remain commonly owned so the van accessible space could be assigned to an owner who requests it.

I would just assign it to whoever is occupying the accessible unit. If both ground floor units need to be accessible (residential accessibility isn't something I'm super familiar with... especially outside of CA), then assign it to one of the units. If someone moves in who's disabled and someone who's not disabled is currently assigned that accessible parking space, then they'll need to change who's assigned the space.

 

[steveray]

Zoning requires parking.....then we make it accessible.....