If you manage a parking lot in Escondido or North County (a retail center, office, church, HOA or industrial yard), accessible parking isn't optional, and it often comes up at the moment you least expect it: when you repave or restripe. Here's what property owners and managers should know before work starts.
Why repaving or restriping can trigger the rules
Under the federal ADA Standards, resurfacing a parking lot is treated as an alteration, and altered parking has to include the required accessible spaces. Routine maintenance such as patching potholes or repainting a few existing stalls generally doesn't, unless it affects how usable the lot is.
California cities apply the state building code the same way. Yorba Linda's published procedure for existing lots, for example, says reconstruction, resurfacing (including slurry and seal coats) and restriping must conform to the current California Building Code's accessibility requirements. Escondido, San Marcos and Vista each enforce the code through their own building divisions, so check with your city before work starts.
How many accessible spaces you need
The required count is based on the total number of spaces in each parking facility:
| Total spaces in the lot | Minimum accessible spaces | Of those, van accessible |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 25 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 – 50 | 2 | 1 |
| 51 – 75 | 3 | 1 |
| 76 – 100 | 4 | 1 |
| 101 – 150 | 5 | 1 |
| 151 – 200 | 6 | 1 |
| 201 – 300 | 7 | 2 |
| 301 – 400 | 8 | 2 |
| 401 – 500 | 9 | 2 |
Larger lots follow the rest of the table in the standards. The van rule is simple: at least one of every six accessible spaces (or fraction of six) must be van accessible.
California stall sizes are bigger than the federal minimum
This is where many lots go wrong. The federal standard allows a 96-inch-wide car space. California's building code (Chapter 11B) requires more:
- Accessible car space: at least 108 inches (9 feet) wide.
- Van space: at least 144 inches (12 feet) wide, or 108 inches wide if the adjacent access aisle is at least 96 inches (8 feet) wide.
- Access aisle: at least 60 inches (5 feet) wide, next to the space.
- Length: at least 216 inches (18 feet). Some cities require more.
Spaces and aisles also need to be nearly level (no steeper than 1:48 in any direction), and the access aisle has to connect to an accessible route to the building entrance.
Markings and signs
California requires specific markings, which are easy to get wrong when a lot is restriped quickly:
- Access aisle: outlined with a blue border, with hatching no more than 36 inches apart.
- "NO PARKING": painted in the access aisle in white letters at least 12 inches high, readable from the drive aisle.
- Identification sign: the International Symbol of Accessibility, white on blue, mounted with its bottom edge at least 60 inches above the ground (80 inches if it's in a walkway). Van spaces also need "van accessible" signage.
- Warning sign: a sign warning that unauthorized vehicles parked in accessible spaces may be towed, as required by CBC 11B-502.8.
Before you hire a contractor
- Ask whether the contractor will lay out accessible stalls to current California Building Code (Chapter 11B), not just repaint the old lines.
- Ask who handles any permit the city requires, and whether the layout will be drawn out before striping.
- If you want an independent check, a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) can inspect the lot. CASp is a California program for accessibility inspections.
- Plan the striping layout at the same time as any resurfacing or sealcoating, so the lot is only closed once.
Need a commercial paving or striping contractor? See parking lot paving and sealcoating & striping, or learn how to check a contractor's license before you sign.
Sources
- U.S. Access Board: Guide to the ADA Standards, Chapter 5: Parking
- City of Yorba Linda: Existing Parking Lot Reconstruction, Resurfacing and Restriping procedure
- California Commission on Disability Access: the Division of the State Architect's CASp Program
- California Standards for Accessible Design (CBC 11B-502.2): vehicle space sizes
Paving Escondido is a free referral service, not a contractor. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Requirements can change, so confirm details with your city and your contractor.