| CODE: | 1994 State Regulations for Barrier-Free Facilities |
| SECTION: | Section 1103.2.3 |
| QUESTION: | On a single site, multiple apartment buildings are being built. Each
building contains several units with exterior doors. All of the buildings
are supplied with parking and exterior stairwells that connect each parking
area to the dwelling units in the individual buildings. To get to the individual
dwelling unit entrances, one must either travel up the stairwell to the
upper units or down the stairwell to the ground floor units. The designer
is proposing to place entrances to the ground floor units at grade level
but in the rear of the building rather than provide ramp access at the
stairwell entrance. Each ground floor unit would then have two entrances,
one by the stairwell and one in the rear.
In this situation, where the traffic pattern would lead individuals to the stairwells leading to the individual units, would the common stairwell be considered the primary entrance to each dwelling unit? |
| ANSWER: | No. The individual doors leading into the dwelling units would be considered
the primary entrance for each applicable unit. If two doors are provided
and only one is an accessible door on an accessible route, then directional
signage must be provided to guide users to the proper door.
Please note that the situation changes if the units are located inside a building that contains a common path to all units, for example a secured building. In this situation, the primary entrance would be the entrance through which all tenants must enter to get into the building. |
| SUPERSEDES: | None |
| REQUESTED BY: | Spokane County |