Unisex sinks in Katy Texas

[orlando77]

Hello

I was wondering if anyone knows if Katy Texas allows for unisex sinks.

Please see the below link.

I'm also not certain if it passes ADA clearance requirements around the urinals.

Occupancy is 300 Group A-2 . Its usage will be a sports bar.

The city is Katy Texas.

Thank you for your feedback.

Orlando

 

[ADAguy]

Ask a TAS.

 

[mtlogcabin]

You cannot have unisex sinks/lavatories

1109.2 Toilet and bathing facilities.
Each toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible. Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only toilet rooms or bathing rooms provided within the facility shall not be located on the inaccessible floor. Except as provided for in Sections 1109.2.2 and 1109.2.3, at least one of each type of fixture, element, control or dispenser in each accessible toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible.

[P] 2902.1.3 Lavatory distribution.
Where two or more toilet rooms are provided for each sex, the required number of lavatories shall be distributed proportionately to the required number of water closets.

[P] 2902.2 Separate facilities.
Where plumbing fixtures are required, separate facilities shall be provided for each sex.

 

[cda]

You cannot have unisex sinks/lavatories

1109.2 Toilet and bathing facilities.
Each toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible. Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only toilet rooms or bathing rooms provided within the facility shall not be located on the inaccessible floor. Except as provided for in Sections 1109.2.2 and 1109.2.3, at least one of each type of fixture, element, control or dispenser in each accessible toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible.

[P] 2902.1.3 Lavatory distribution.
Where two or more toilet rooms are provided for each sex, the required number of lavatories shall be distributed proportionately to the required number of water closets.

[P] 2902.2 Separate facilities.
Where plumbing fixtures are required, separate facilities shall be provided for each sex.

Looks like he has five sinks??? Good to go??

I keep seeing that set up every so often, interesting, when you are not expecting it, especailly when they are all unisex.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Ask your wife if she wants to stand in front of the sink and mirror and adjust her clothes with a strange man standing next to her.
Better yet some one who may have soiled themselves having to clean up in front of the opposite sex

Finally found it
IPC
405.3.2 Public lavatories.
In employee and public toilet rooms, the required lavatory shall be located in the same room as the required water closet.

 

[steveray]

As we move towards gender neutral this will be a more common discussion....

 

[cda]

Ask your wife if she wants to stand in front of the sink and mirror and adjust her clothes with a strange man standing next to her.
Better yet some one who may have soiled themselves having to clean up in front of the opposite sex

Finally found it
IPC
405.3.2 Public lavatories.
In employee and public toilet rooms, the required lavatory shall be located in the same room as the required water closet.

per the picture ,,, appears it is in same room?

 

[cda]

Hum plumbing code has no definition of lavatory ?

 

[steveray]

The definition of room vs. compartment is what needs to be addressed....How many doors can you open up before you wash your hands.....

 

[mtlogcabin]

per the picture ,,, appears it is in same room?

No there is a door between the WC's and the lavatories
2018 IPC
419.1 Approval.
Lavatories shall conform to ASME A112.19.1/CSA B45.2, ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4 or CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124. Group wash-up equipment shall conform to the requirements of Section 402. Every 20 inches (508 mm) of rim space shall be considered as one lavatory.

 

[steveray]

Hum plumbing code has no definition of lavatory ?

416.1 Approval. Lavatories shall conform to ASME
A112.19.1/CSA B45.2, ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1,
ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4 or CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124.
Group wash-up equipment shall conform to the requirements

 

[mtlogcabin]

The WC's are in a compartment within a room. The lavatories are in a hallway

 

[steveray]

The WC's are in a compartment within a room. The lavatories are in a hallway

In this example I would agree....But when the W/C "compartment" gets full proper walls and door it gets muddier....

 

[tmurray]

Ask your wife if she wants to stand in front of the sink and mirror and adjust her clothes with a strange man standing next to her.
Better yet some one who may have soiled themselves having to clean up in front of the opposite sex

I always feel we need to be careful in applying a code requirement simply because someone may feel uncomfortable. But, this also may be just my belief against over regulation and hoping for smaller government. Let owners decide what they want to do. As long as the right number of fixtures are there, thus ensuring public health measures are met, I as an agent of the government should not dictate to the owner of the facility how they are going to operate it.

 

[orlando77]

Thanks for the feedback. If I took the doors out of the equation (see attachment) would that now work.

 

[cda]

NO!!!!

Not into IPC, but seeing your set up more often

 

[rgrace]

Thanks for the feedback. If I took the doors out of the equation (see attachment) would that now work.

I believe steveray hit the nail on the head when he said

As we move towards gender neutral this will be a more common discussion....

The 2018 and 2021 codes have provisions for multi-user gender neutral toilet facilities. In my state, we have increased requirements for such facilities and included provisions that weren't well thought out on the ICC level. What this looks like to me is a hybrid of male/female toilet facilities mixing in multi-user gender neutral elements. Personally, I wouldn't permit this unless all of the elements for a multi-user gender neutral facility were incorporated into the design. At that point, identifying male/female would be moot. Reference 2018 Virginia Plumbing Code https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/virginia Note: red lettering is state amendments.

 

[mtlogcabin]

gender neutral elements.

I am probably going to get in trouble for this but scientifically you are male or female if you think or believe anything else you probably have an issue between your ears that needs to be fixed.

By removing the urinals at a school. How will they meet the plumbing fixture count? You can't put a bank of Water Closets where a bank of Urinals where.

Why a Virginia Middle School Is Removing Urinals from the Boys’ Bathrooms

Its bad enough that a middle school in Loudon County, VA, has decided to remove male and female signs from its bathrooms.

townhall.com

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Unisex restrooms should only be single person use restrooms.

 

[bill1952]

Urinal replacement for gender neutral restrooms:

Berlin's new toilets: Would you use a women's urinal?

Berlin seeks gender equality for public toilets as it seeks to redevelop its municipal "pissoirs".

www.bbc.com

 

[cda]

Unisex restrooms should only be single person use restrooms.

The ones I have seen like above

You walk in

The sinks are there

You pick an open stall, that has a door.

There may be five to six to choose from.

 

[JPohling]

This is a very common restroom situation here in San Diego for restaurant/bar uses. You need to have the linear footage of lavatory to satisfy both men and women lav requirements

 

[orlando77]

Okay, I redesign it.

This does look better but the client wanted to have universal sinks.

 

[cda]

Unisex restrooms should only be single person use restrooms.

Agree

But why can’t there be say eight singles in a row???

And you step out and there is the sinks to wash your hands???