Uni-sex Outdoor Outlet Mall

[Examiner]

Mercantile Occupancy

Outdoor Outlet Mall

The entire complex’s fixture calculations will only require one Uni-sex restroom. Mercantile occupancy’s with over 50-people require a Uni-sex restroom. The entire complex is mercantile and based on each stores apx retail sf the occupant load will total in the thousands.

If the 8 per sex required fixtures are spread equally amount the Mall’s four restrooms so that the travel distance to any one public restroom is under the require distance; will more than one Uni-sex restroom be required due to travel distance?

 

[north star]

$ $ $ $

I say yes!

From the 2006 IPC, Section403.2 Separate facilities.

Where plumbing fixtures are required, separate facilities shall be

provided for each sex.

Exceptions:

1. Separate facilities shall not be required for dwelling units and sleeping

units.

2. Separate facilities shall not be required in structures or tenant spaces

with a total occupant load, including both employees and customers, of

15 or less.

3. Separate facilities shall not be required in mercantile occupancies in

which the maximum occupant load is 50 or less.

A unisex restroom for each sex [ based upon your given criteria ].

$ $ $ $

 

[mtlogcabin]

3. Separate facilities shall not be required in mercantile occupancies inwhich the maximum occupant load is 50 or less.

A unisex restroom for each sex [ based upon your given criteria ].

#3 is saying a unisex restroom is permitted in lieu of seperate facilities if the occupant load in a merchantile occupancy is 50 or less

 

[fatboy]

If I'm reading the OP right, each individual M is of the size that the exception applies, and a uni-sex could be used. But, the total occupant load of the entire development will far exceed that, and it is being considered in total. In that case, separate sex RR's, complying with travel distances, meeting the number requirement in total must be dispersed throughout the development. JMHO

 

[north star]

* * * *

That's the way I read it also fatboy!

Maybe Examiner can clarify, or enjoin a discussion.



* * * *

 

[FredK]

I'm siding with fatboy.

 

[mtlogcabin]

1109.2.1 Family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms.

In assembly and mercantile occupancies, an accessible family or assisted-use toilet room shall be provided where an aggregate of six or more male and female water closets is required. In buildings of mixed occupancy, only those water closets required for the assembly or mercantile occupancy shall be used to determine the family or assisted-use toilet room requirement. In recreational facilities where separate-sex bathing rooms are provided, an accessible family or assisted-use bathing room shall be provided. Fixtures located within family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms shall be included in determining the number of fixtures provided in an occupancy.

1109.2.1.4 Location.

Family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms shall be located on an accessible route . Family or assisted-use toilet rooms shall be located not more than one story above or below separate-sex toilet rooms. The accessible route from any separate-sex toilet room to a family or assisted-use toilet room shall not exceed 500 feet (152 m).

The complex will require a unisex restroom for every 6 male and female (12) waterclosets. Or as fatboy pointed out a unisex in each merchantile space with an occupant load of 50 people or less will comply. I would caution against accepting a unisex located inside a single tenant space as meeting the intent of 1109.2.1.4 as tenants come and go and space are vacant at times which would render the unisex restroom unavailble when needed.

 

[Examiner]

Maybe further clarification is needed. IBC 2006 edition used

Mercantile and Assembly occupancies require Unisex restrooms, in addition to the Male and Female restrooms, if the aggregate total of fixtures is six or more. [ref: IBC 1109.2.1]

If the occupant load exceeds 50 then separate sex Restrooms are required as covered under the exceptions in the plumbing code for mercantile. [ref: IPC 403.2]

The Unisex restroom is for family purposes at times especially when required after separate sex restrooms are provided.

This is an outdoor mall where each store or building does not have to have restrooms but the complex must have public restrooms within a 500-ft travel distance.

The 2006 IBC does not address open malls but the AHJ has ruled that the travel distance to the restrooms not exceed 500-ft. The newer Codes I understand will address open malls.

Since the aggregate total of male and female water closets is six or more then a Unisex restroom for the complex is required.

I think the following section addresses how often the unisex must be. I know I can count the unisex fixture in the required total of fixtures needed but I was hoping I would not have to have more than one unisex restroom. The design is splitting the number of required fixtures among 4 locations. Each location is determined by the 500-ft travel distances. It appears that I will have to have a unisex at each of the 4 locations. Developer is not going to be happy.

1109.2.1.4 Location. Unisex toilet and bathing rooms shall be located on an accessible route. Unisex toilet rooms shall be located not more than one story above or below separate-sex toilet rooms. The accessible route from any separate-sex toilet room to a unisex toilet room shall not exceed 500 feet (152 m).

Your thoughts?

 

[texasbo]

I agree. By count, you need one unisex when the aggregate number of required fixtures is 6 or more, not one for EACH 6 fixtures.

However, you just can't get away from the 500' requirement.

 

[mtlogcabin]

The complex will require a unisex restroom for every 6 male and female (12) waterclosets

I stand corrected I missed the "aggregate" requirement

 

[Examiner]

Again I will be the bearer of bad news.

Thanks all. I thought so. Do not kill the messenger.

 

[Big Willie]

Examiner,

You are not the bearer of bad news! You are providing accurate code analysis. How that analysis

is perceived is up to the receiver.

 

[Examiner]

Thanks for the encouraging response. I tell all that "Code is minimum requirements" and I still get “we have not had to do this anywhere else”. Even when I served a brief time as a Deputy Building Inspector with a major City and now working in the private section I still get the comment. No adequate Code Enforcement in my area just “Good Ole Boy Politics”. Some day ADA will come through and there will be lots of legal issues. Maybe I will be retained as an expert witness and forever more be black balled to do any work in this area.

 

[Papio Bldg Dept]

Your thoughts?

I think you are on the right track. The 2006 IPC, Section 403.4.1, (2904.1 2006 IBC) reinforces the 500 ft distance.

In our outdoor mall, (a project I inherited when I took this job) we have permited them to use a bank of restrooms, for their second floor B occupancies and first floor A/M occupancies within 500 ft. Those tenant spaces greater than 500 ft away are required to provide plumbing facilities within their tenant space per their occupant load. We do not allow shared facilites between to tenants unless they are open to each other, or provide a common area that can not be closed should the other tenant go out of business. We have a spreadsheet documenting their occupancies/occupant loads/fixture requirements for each tenant space using this bank. They have since exceeded the capacity of this bank of fixtures, and are now required to provide unisex restrooms in each new tenant space, whether over 500 ft or not. There is currently no family, or assisted use restroom facility (i.e., unisex) provided.

 

[Big Willie]

Examiner,

I share your pain and frustration, more than you know! In my location, "good `ol boy" politics is

the standard, not the exception.

FWIW, the new ADA Standards for Accessible Design are out and applicable. You can get free

copies mailed to you [ free ] if you call the Dept. of Justice and request them. At least that

part of the Federal government is evidence that our tax dollars are at work in a positive

manner.

To be "black balled" by the contractor community IMO, is a badge of integrity for me!

Keep at it Examiner! You know the `ol saying... "Don't Ever Give Up!" Besides, that

look on the contractors faces when you inform them of the correct codes analysis is,

...well, "PRICELESS !!" :devil