Section 5. Design standards.
(a) General standards.--The architectural design of a visitable home shall comply with all of the following requirements:
(1) The path from either a vehicle parking area or a
pedestrian entrance to the lot to the no-step entrance shall
be firm, stable and slip resistant.
(i) The grade of the path shall not exceed the
following acceptable slopes: 1:8 for slope length of five
feet or less with a maximum rise of 7.5 inches; 1:10 for
slope length of 12 feet or less with a maximum rise of
14.4 inches; and 1:12 for slope length of more than 12
feet.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (i), if the
average slope of the property line along and contiguous
to the public right-of-way exceeds a slope of 1:12, the
slope of the exterior circulation path may be greater, if
necessary, to provide access to the no-step entry, but it
may not exceed the average slope of the property line.
(2) The residence shall provide at least one no-step
entrance approachable by a firm, stable and slip-resistant
path with an acceptable slope. The no-step entrance shall
have a threshold of no greater than three-fourths of an inch.
The no-step entrance to the residence may be located on any
exterior side of the house or an entrance through the
integral garage to the visitable level of the residence.
(3) All no-step entry doors must have a minimum clear
open width of at least 32 inches and be equipped with lever
handle hardware.
(4) Interior circulation paths on the visitable level of
the dwelling must be at least 36 inches in width.
(5) All interior doorways on the visitable level of the
dwelling, excluding closets and doorways to floors below the
visitable level, shall have a minimum clear open width of 32
inches.
(6) Each visitable dwelling shall have a minimum of one
powder room or bathroom on the visitable-level floor. The
powder room shall have a 30-inch by 48-inch minimum clear
floor space contiguous to the water closet and the lavatory.
The clear space under the lavatory may be included in these
measurements, and clear spaces contiguous to the water closet
and lavatory may overlap. Plumbing fixtures and entry-room
doors accessing the visitable powder room must be equipped
with lever-style hardware.
(7) (i) All bathrooms and powder rooms throughout the
residential unit shall have reinforcement of at least two
inches by eight inches of blocking between the studs
placed inside the walls for easy installation of grab
bars if needed. Reinforcement shall be capable of
supporting grab bars that resist shear and bending forces
of 250 pounds or greater. Blocking should be centered at
34 inches from and parallel to the finished floor.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (i), in renovated
homes only the walls in powder rooms or bathrooms on the
visitable floor and those on floors that have the stud
walls exposed as part of the renovation process need to
comply with this paragraph.
(8) (i) Light switches may not be higher than 48 inches
above the finished floor of the residential unit. If
there are two controls for the same light, only one need
be in compliance with these standards.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (i), in renovated
homes only the switches on the visitable floor need to
comply with this paragraph unless the electrical
renovations extend beyond the visitable floor.
(b) Modifications.--The design standards contained in this section may not be modified or made mandatory, except as provided by the act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act.