Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re:common house bathrooms

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

RoseWind Cohousing, Port Townsend WA
As the CH was clearly not a residence, our local building department 
classified it as the most unrestricted sort of assembly space, but 
nonetheless it was classed a public building, similar to, for example, a 
church parish hall. 

As such, we needed to be in full ADA compliance - parking, ramp, lavatory 
fixtures, grab bars, wheelchair turning space, signage (Braille bathroom 
signs included). The number of bathrooms required was tied to our square 
footage. At first they told us we'd have to have 4 lavs - an absurdity in 
our 2800 sqft building,  used mostly by people whose own bathrooms were 
within sight and walking distance. To argue them down, we found out we 
could change the square footage that "counted" for this calculation by 
some linguistic sleight of hand like calling the rec room the exercise 
room or some such thing. Netted us two lavs, unisex, and they are often 
both in use, at timeslike meeting breaks, when a number of people have 
the need. 

And having two bathrooms - this being RoseWind - did allow two different 
people to indulge their desire to paint birds on the walls, insert 
colored glass lenses in the walls, hang fabric art, etc. One can choose 
between the more- or less- fanciful decor!


Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
http://www.rosewind.org
http://www.ptguide.com

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