2019 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2020 with July 1, 2021 amendments)

Safe Harbors

When DOJ updated the ADA Regulations and adopted the 2004 ADAAG in 2010, it recognized that many business owners and government entities had already invested considerable time, effort and money to achieve compliance with 1991 ADAAG, and saw fit to include a Safe Harbor provision in the Appendix to §36.304(d) of the 2010 Title III ADA Regulations (28 CFR Part 36), noted in the following chart from that Appendix. The requirements for Title II, State and Local Government Facilities, are similar and may be found at 28 CFR Part 35 §35.150(b)(2)(i).

Appendix to §36.304(d) Compliance Dates and Applicable Standards for Barrier Removal and Safe Harbor

As indicated in the title of this table, the Safe Harbor provision applies only to barrier removal in existing facilities, not to new construction. New construction must comply with the 2010 ADA Standards, as of March 15, 2012.

The term "Safe Harbor" does not appear in CBC, but a similar provision is included in Exception 2 at Section 11B-202.4, excerpted here:

11B-202.4 Path of travel requirements in alterations, additions and structural repairs. When alterations or additions are made to existing buildings or facilities, an accessible path of travel to the specific area of alteration or addition shall be provided. The primary accessible path of travel shall include:

1. A primary entrance to the building or facility,

2. Toilet and bathing facilities serving the area,

3. Drinking fountains serving the area,

4. Public telephones serving the area, and

5. Signs.

Exceptions:

1. …

2. If the following elements of a path of travel have been constructed or altered in compliance with the accessibility requirements of the immediately preceding edition of the California Building Code, it shall not be required to retrofit such elements to reflect the incremental changes in this code solely because of an alteration to an area served by those elements of the path of travel:

     1. A primary entrance to the building or facility,

     2. Toilet and bathing facilities serving the area,

     3. Drinking fountains serving the area,

     4. Public telephones serving the area, and

     5. Signs.

3-10. …

The scope of this "Safe Harbor" provision is far more limited than that of 2010 ADA Standards, and it is important to note that, when the 2019 CBC becomes applicable, "the immediately preceding edition of the California Building Code" will refer to 2016 CBC.

As observed in the Background section of this Introduction, a Building Code changes constantly, so "the immediately preceding edition of the California Building Code" is subject to interpretation. ETA has consulted with DSA-AC on this matter, learning that their interpretation is that this refers to any version of the preceding edition. Guide users are cautioned that some Building Officials or other Authorities Having Jurisdiction may apply a different interpretation.

For consistency and clarity, ETA has chosen to use the term "Safe Harbor" in this Guide to refer to items that may qualify for CBC Section 11B-202.4, Exception 2. Using DSA-AC's interpretation of "the immediately preceding edition of the California Building Code," ETA has identified three of these and has provided hyperlinks from the 2019 CBC requirement to the applicable "Safe Harbor" prescription from the preceding edition. These are identifiable in the text of this document as follows: [Safe Harbor Section or Subsection Number Hyperlink].

There are currently still some uncertainties about how to interpret and apply the Safe Harbor provisions. More information about Safe Harbor provisions may be found throughout Corada by performing a keyword search or by clicking here: Safe Harbor.