The following words and phrases when used in
this article shall have the meanings given to them in this section
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
CIRCULATION PATH
An exterior or interior way of passage from one place to
another for pedestrians.
DWELLING
A structure used as a place of habitation by a natural person.
The term shall include new residential construction, existing residential
construction, or any commercial or industrial building that is converted
for residential use.
NO-STEP ENTRY
An entry into a dwelling that has no steps or other barrier
to individuals who have significant mobility impairment, and having
a threshold no greater than three-fourths of an inch.
PEDESTRIAN SITE ARRIVAL POINT
A place where pedestrians may enter a dwelling from a public
right-of-way. The term includes, but is not limited to, sidewalks,
driveways, streets, alleys, and paths.
POWDER ROOM
A toileting room having, at a minimum, a water closet and
lavatory.
SIGNIFICANT MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT
The disability of an individual who needs assistive mobility
technology in the form of a wheelchair, walker, crutches or a similar
device in order to move along a circulation path.
VISITABLE LEVEL
The floor or level of a dwelling to which a no-step entry
leads.
VISITABILITY DESIGN
The presence of architectural design features which enhance
access and usability for visitors and residents who have significant
mobility impairment and which minimize the cost of full accessibility
modifications, if necessary, at a later time.
In accordance with the terms of this article,
a residential visitability design tax credit against real property
taxes levied by Allegheny County on dwellings shall be granted to
eligible property owners. The tax credit authorized under the terms
of this article shall be limited to any new or renovated dwelling
that contains visitability design features which will enhance the
usability of the dwelling for individuals with significant mobility
impairment and which minimize the cost of accessibility modifications,
if necessary, at a later time.
All tax credits granted under the terms of this
article shall be for a duration of five years. The total amount of
any tax credit granted under the terms of this article shall be the
lesser of:
A. Two thousand five hundred dollars; or
B. The total amount of all increases in property taxes
levied by Allegheny County as a result of the construction or renovation
that is eligible for the residential visitability design tax credit.
The Office of Property Assessments shall administer
the County's residential visitability design tax credit program created
under this article. In doing so, the Office of Property Assessments
shall follow all procedures and requirements of both this article
and Act 132. The Office of Property Assessments is hereby authorized
to require such information and conduct such other examinations as
it shall deem necessary to ensure the eligibility of dwellings for
participation in the residential visitability design tax credit program.
In order to be eligible for the County's residential
visitability design tax credit, the architectural design of a new
or newly renovated dwelling shall comply with all of the following
requirements:
A. The path from either a vehicle parking area or a pedestrian
site arrival point to the dwelling's no-step entrance shall be firm,
stable and slip-resistant.
(1) The grade of the path shall not exceed the following
acceptable slopes:
(a)
For slope lengths of five feet or less: 1:8,
with a maximum rise of 7.5 inches;
(b)
For slope lengths of between five and 12 feet:
1:10, with a maximum rise of 14.4 inches; and
(c)
For all slope lengths of more than 12 feet:
1:12.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of §
475-59A(1), if the average slope of the property line along and contiguous to the public right-of-way exceeds 1:12, the slope of the exterior circulation path may be greater, if necessary, to provide access to the no-step entry, but the slope of such exterior circulation path may not exceed the average slope of the property line.
B. The dwelling shall provide at least one no-step entrance approachable by a firm, stable and slip-resistant path with an acceptable slope, as provided for in §
475-59A. The no-step entrance to the dwelling may be located on any exterior wall, or may be an entrance to the visitable level of the dwelling through an integral garage.
C. All doors located at no-step entrances must have a
clear open width of at least 32 inches, and must be equipped with
lever opening hardware.
D. Interior circulation paths on the visitable level
of the dwelling must be at least 36 inches in width throughout their
length.
E. All interior doorways on the visitable level of the
dwelling, excluding closets and doorways to levels below the visitable
level, shall have a minimum clear open width of 32 inches.
F. Each dwelling shall, at a minimum, have at least one
powder room or full bathroom on the visitable level. The powder room
or bathroom shall, at a minimum, have a thirty-inch by forty-eight-inch
clear floor space contiguous to the water closet and the lavatory.
Any clear space under the lavatory may be included in these measurements,
and clear spaces to the water closet and lavatory may overlap. Plumbing
fixtures and entry doors accessing the visitable powder room or bathroom
shall be equipped with lever-style hardware.
(1) All powder rooms and full bathrooms throughout the
dwelling shall have reinforcement of at least two inches by eight
inches of blocking between the studs placed inside the walls in order
to facilitate the installation of grab bars, if needed. Reinforcement
shall be capable of supporting grab bars that resist shear and bending
forces of at least 250 pounds. Blocking should be centered at 34 inches
from and parallel to the finished floor.
(2) In renovated homes, only the walls in powder rooms and full bathrooms on the visitable floor(s) and those on floors that have the stud walls exposed as part of the renovation process must be in compliance with the requirements of §
475-59F(1).
G. Light switches may not be higher than 48 inches above
the finished floor on any level of the dwelling, subject to the following
exceptions:
(1) For lights that are controlled by multiple switches
on the same floor of the dwelling, only one switch on that level must
comply with the requirements of this section.
(2) In renovated homes, only the switches on the visitable
floor(s) and any floor(s) upon which electrical renovations were done
need comply with the requirements of this section.