Closest to entrance claridication

[ADAguy]

Here is a brain teaser: If designing a "new" minimart for a service station with parking nosed in to a raised sidewalk fronting the building, must the accessible parking be directly in front of the entrance doors or may it be to either side with the access aisle terminating at a ramp to the raised sidewalk?

If constructed with the accessible parking to one side vs the center is that a triable offfense? as in not "closest" to the entrance.

 

[JCraver]

I would hope that not many people are big enough <donkey>'s to sue a business owner because "their" spot is one spot too far away from the door. I'd also hope that most judges would toss any such suit as frivolous, and hopefully sanction the attorney that brought it to court. But that's a lot of hope in people in 2016....

Theoretically, I'd say that you are correct - if a space is provided directly in front of the doors, then that should be the one that's designated as accessible.

Most places don't provide parking in front of the door around here. That area is typically marked as no parking, and an accessible space is on one side or the other.

 

[ADAguy]

Consider yourself lucky in Illinois; in California they chose to split hairs and leave it to the judge to decide. That is if the defendant doesn't roll over first in mediation. Here you are guilty until proven innocent and even if you do, recovery of your expenses is not guaranteed.

Often the plans are correct but there is no construction over sight and city inspections are not always specific enough (not enough time).

It is a cottage industry for some.

 

[Msradell]

Often the plans are correct but there is no construction over sight and city inspections are not always specific enough (not enough time).

That's 1 of the Big Problems around Here, the plans that are signed off by Zoning and Planning are correct but when the project gets into the field things are made and inspectors don't say anything about it .

 

[mtlogcabin]

The code does not require the parking be the one directly in front of the entrance it is required to be on the shortest accessible route.

106.6 Location.
Accessible parking spaces shall be located on the shortest accessible route of travel from adjacent parking to an accessible building entrance.

Some times the topography of the site or the required parking lot drainage will require the parking space to be elsewhere. When we have allowed them elsewhere we try to get a level accessible route that may be 30 feet longer than a 10 ft uphill ramp.

 

[JBI]

Placing the access aisle directly in front of the entrance is the easiest way to deal with it, but the accessible spaces need to be on the shortest route, not necessarily directly in front of the entrance.