Accessibility requirements

[mantis]

At what point is a business required to meet accessibility requirements, such as offering ramps for wheelchair access and posting signs made with braille for the blind? The permit application asks about these things, but I'm unable to tell if they're mandatory in order to have the permit granted. When must a business comply with the ADA, in order to receive a business permit?

 

[Davenport]

Is your business open to the public, mantis? I believe that's one of the main criteria that is looked at. Some examples of public places include cafes, hotels, arcades, bowling centers, stadiums, and retail shops.

 

[mantis]

Sorry for the late response! I've been so busy with my project that I forgot I'd asked about compliance on here. Yes, it'll be open to the public. I'm going in with three other people to open a special interest museum.

 

[Davenport]

Your museum will fall under Title III, since it's a private business that is open to the public. If your building already exists, then you're required to remove any barriers that might stop a disabled person from visiting museum. This might mean adding a ramp and changing your doors so that a wheelchair can fit through them among other things.

Don't panic if you're seeing dollar signs flash before your eyes, because you only have to remove those barriers if it's easily achievable and not too expensive. There's a lot of wiggle room within the law, and many modifications will be more affordable than you think.

I'm not a lawyer by any means, and this is one time where you're definitely better off consulting a professional.

 

[GrayCollar]

If you want to expand your clientele and have the funds, install braille as well. Especially by the bathrooms. There are art galleries and museums that have sculptures where they let blind patrons run their hands over them so they can get a "feel" for what we see. Along with audio accompaniment to help describe the piece.

But yes, if it's open to the public, it needs to be wheelchair accessible at the least. That's a Federal law.