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Zoning for Universal Design and Visitability

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Zoning for Universal Design and Visitability ZONINGPRACTICE April 2006 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION ISSUE NUMBER FOUR PRACTICE UNIVERSAL DESIGN 4 Zoning for Universal Design and Visitability By Jennifer S. Evans-Cowley, AICP According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 20 percent of the American population reported some type of disability. Of t h ose over the age of 65, 28 perce n t ha ve bu ild i ngs and pro d u c t s t ha t p ro m o te equal Visi ta bil i t y is another term ass o cia te d a physi ca l d isa bil i t y. As the ba by b o o m e rs o p p o r tun i t y for use by i n d i vi d u a ls, whether with un i ve rsa l d esign. Visi ta bil i t y is a move- a ge, these figures will i n crease. As bu ild e rs or not t h e y ha ve a disa bil i t y. The Ce n ter fo r m e n t to cha nge co nstruction sta n da rds s o s e e k to acco m m o da te them, the idea of co n- U n i ve rsa l Design, loca ted in the College of t ha t new housi n g is d e signed to all o w people st r u c t i ng homes so tha t p e o ple can age in Design at N o rth Ca rol i na S ta te Unive rsi t y, with mobil i t y i m pa i r m e n t s to live in the un i t s pla ce is g row i ng in popula r i t y. Pla n n e rs ge n- l ist s s e ven princi ples : and visi t o t h e rs. The ke y fea tu res o f visi ta bil- e ra ll y l i ke the idea of a g i ng in pla ce, bu t o n l y i t y i n c lude wide doorways, at least a ha l f 1. Equitable use a ha n d ful o f ci t i es a re active l y usi ng their bath on the main floor, accessi ble pla ce m e n t d e ve l o p m e n t co d es to ma n da te un i ve rsa l 2. Flexibility in use o f e le c t r i ca l co n t rols, and at least one ze ro - d esign and visi ta bil i t y. 3. Simple and intuitive step entra n ce to a bu ild i ng. Visi ta bil i t y d o es n o t e nsu r e co m ple te access in a home, bu t i t WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND 4. Perceptible information e nsu res t h a t pu bl i c spa ces, su ch as t h e VISITABILITY? 5. Tolerance for error e n t ra n ce, ha ll ways, and ba t h room are acces- The te r m s universal design and v i s i t a b i l i t y si ble to someone in a wheelcha i r. T h is m i n i- 6. Low physical effort a re un fa m il iar to ma ny pla n n e rs. Unive rsa l ma l le ve l o f a ccessi bil i t y a l l ows for a pers o n d esign is the design and production of 7. Size and space for approach and use with a disa bil i t y to access a home, even if t ha t p e rson does n o t l i ve there, and all o ws a n o n - d isa bled person to continue resi d i ng in a home in the eve n t t h a t the person deve l- o ps a disa bil i t y. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that buildings be accessible to those with disabilities. Planners have incorporated its requirements into zoning codes, such as a specific number of parking spaces to be reserved for those with disabilities. This has typically meant that a ramp was added on the side of a building or an elevator was tucked into a corner. However, those zoning require- ments have not been extended to apply to sin- gle-family homes. Universal design promotes the idea of creating places that are designed for everyone to access, rather than being retrofitted for accessibility. Some examples include providing no-step ground entryways (to assist those in wheelchairs) with textured U n i ve rsi t y Neighborhood Apa rt m e n t s in Be r ke le y, Ca l i fo r n ia, bu il t by H ea r th Homes, is surface (to assist the blind), and providing the na t i o n ’ s f i r st a f f o rda ble housi ng bu il t with Unive rsa l Design princi ples. The 27- un i t wide interior doors and hallways, bright light- d e ve l o p m e n t opened in Jul y 2 0 0 5 . ing, handles with a lever rather than a twisting knob, and light controls operated with large ZONINGPRACTICE 4.06 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION | page 2 ASK THE AUTHOR JOIN US ONLINE! About the Author From May 9 to 20, go online to participate in our “Ask the Author” forum, an interac - Jennifer S. Evans-Cowley, AICP, is an assistant pro- tive feature of Zoning Practice. Jennifer S. Evans-Cowley, AICP, will be available to fessor of City and Regional Planning at Ohio State answer questions about this article. Go to the APA website at www.planning.org and University. This research has been funded by a follow the links to the Ask the Author section. From there, just submit your questions grant from the National Endowment for the Arts about the article using an e-mail link. The author will reply, and Zoning Practice will Universal Design Leadership Project. If your com- post the answers cumulatively on the website for the benefit of all subscribers. This munity has passed a visitability ordinance or is feature will be available for selected issues of Zoning Practice at announced times. considering one, please e-mail Jennifer Evans- After each online discussion is closed, the answers will be saved in an online archive Cowley at [email protected]. available through the APA Zoning Practice web pages. panels rather than a toggle switch. In the If we know that there is a change in the 2000 law, re q u i res a ll h o m e s bu il t on a bathroom, grab bars are an important addi- demographics of our communities, planners sp e cula t i ve basis to include visi ta bil i t y tion. These allow a person in a wheelchair to should be actively seeking ways to help peo- sta n da rds. transfer from the chair to the toilet or bathtub. ple age in place. At least 24 cities also have passed vis- itability legislation modifying their building WHY IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN IMPORTANT? code, including: The number of people in the United States It is more expensive ■ Atlanta (1992) who have disabilities is growing. One reason is that better health care has allowed people to retrofit a ■ Freehold Borough, New Jersey (1997) with disabilities to live longer lives. In addi- ■ Austin, Texas (1998) tion, the portion of the population over the nonaccessible house ■ Irvine, California (1999) age of 65 has been growing, and aging pro- duces a higher likelihood of disabilities. The than to have the house ■ Urbana, Illinois (2000) number of disabled veterans has also grown. ■ Fort Worth, Texas (2000) For those with physical disabilities, made accessible to buildings can serve as a major obstacle to ■ Visalia, California (2001) mobility. Providing for accessibility reduces begin with. ■ San Mateo County, California (2001) those obstacles, but does not eliminate them. ■ Albuquerque, New Mexico (2002) Even if a disabled person lives in an accessi- ble building, it is still difficult for people with BUILDING CODES, UNIVERSAL DESIGN, ■ San Antonio, Texas (2002) disabilities to access the homes of the non- AND VISITABILITY ■ Onondaga County, New York (2002) disabled. This inaccessibility makes it difficult Across the nation, ci t i ze ns g r o u ps ad vo ca t- for those with disabilities to visit friends and i ng for the disa bled ha ve been effe c t i v e in ■ Southampton, New York (2002) family. wi n n i ng passa ge of sta te and loca l leg isla- ■ Naperville, Illinois (2002) Homes accessible to people with disabil- tion tha t i n co r p o ra tes sta n da rds for visi ta bil- ities are just as convenient for the non- i t y. Acco rd i ng to the Unive r si t y o f Bu f fa l o, 14 ■ Pima County, Arizona (2002) disabled. A wide level entrance to a home sta tes ha ve passed su ch leg islation.
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