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Section 8-1003

California Historical Building Code (Title 24, Part 8) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata

SITE RELATIONS The relationship between a building or property and its site, or the associated features of a district (including qualified historical landscape), site, objects and their features are critical components that may be one of the criteria for these buildings and properties to be qualified under the CHBC. The CHBC recognizes the importance of these relationships. This chapter shall be used to provide context sensitive solutions for treatment of qualified historical buildings, properties, district or their associated historical features, or when work to be performed secondarily impacts the associated historical features of a qualified historical building or property.

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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24 2019 CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL BUILDING CODE Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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APPENDIX A

CHAPTER 8-6

TABLE 1—PROVISION APPLICABILITY

Title II
Public Entities
Title III
Private Entities
Title III
Barrier Removal
SECTION 8-601 PURPOSE, INTENT, SCOPE
**8-601.1 Purpose.**The purpose of the CHBC is to provide alternative regulations to facili-
tate access and use by persons with disabilities to and throughout facilities designated as
qualified historical buildings or properties. These regulations require enforcing agencies
to accept alternatives to regular code when dealing with qualified historical buildings or
properties.
**8-601.2 Intent.**The intent of this chapter is to preserve the integrity of qualified historical
buildings and properties while providing access to and use by persons with disabilities.
**8-601.3 Scope.**The CHBC shall apply to every qualified historical building or property
that is required to provide access to persons with disabilities.
1. Provisions of this chapter do not apply to new construction or reconstruction/
replicas of historical buildings.
2. Where provisions of this chapter apply to alteration of qualified historical buildings
or properties, alteration is defined in_ California Building Code_ (CBC), Chapter 2,
Definitions and Abbreviations. 202 – A. Alter or Alteration.
8-601.4 General application. The provisions in the CHBC apply to local, state and fed-
eral governments (Title II entities); alteration of commercial facilities and places of public
accommodation (Title III entities); and barrier removal in commercial facilities and places
of public accommodation (Title III entities). Except as noted in this chapter.
Applies Applies Applies
SECTION 8-602 — BASIC PROVISIONS
8-602.1 Regular code. The regular code for access for people with disabilities (Title 24,
Part 2, Vol.1, Chapter 11B) shall be applied to qualified historical buildings or properties
unless strict compliance with the regular code will threaten or destroy the historical signif-
icance or character-defining features of the building or property.
**8-602.2 Alternative provisions.**If the historical significance or character-defining fea-
tures are threatened, alternative provisions for access may be applied pursuant to this
chapter, provided the following conditions are met:
1. These provisions shall be applied only on an item-by-item or case-by-case basis.
2. Documentation is provided, including meeting minutes or letters, stating the reasons
for the application of the alternative provisions. Such documentation shall be
retained in the permanent file of the enforcing agency.
Applies Applies Applies
Section 8-603 — ALTERNATIVES
**8-603.1 Alternative minimum standards.**The alternative minimum standards for alter-
ations of qualified historical buildings or facilities are referenced in Section 202.5 of the
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, as incorporated and set forth in federal regu-
lation 28 CFR Pt. 36.
**8-603.2 Entry.**These alternatives do not allow exceptions for the requirement of level
landings in front of doors, except as provided in Section 8-603.4.
1. Access to any entrance used by the general public and no further than 200 feet (60
960 mm) from the primary entrance.
2. Access at any entrance not used by general public but open and unlocked with
directional signs at the primary entrance and as close as possible to, but no further
than 200 feet (60 960 mm) from, the primary entrance.
3. The accessible entrance shall have a notification system. Where security is a
problem, remote monitoring may be used.
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies

(continued)

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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APPENDIX A

TABLE 1—PROVISION APPLICABILITY—continued

Title II
Public Entities
Title III
Private Entities
Title III
Barrier Removal
**8-603.3 Doors.**Alternatives listed in order of priority are:
1. Single-leaf door which provides a minimum 30 inches (762 mm) of clear opening.
2. Single-leaf door which provides a minimum 291/2 inches (749 mm) clear opening.
3. Double door, one leaf of which provides a minimum 291/2 inches (749 mm) clear
opening.
4. Double doors operable with a power-assist device to provide a minimum 291/2
inches (749 mm) clear opening when both doors are in the open position.
**Exception:**Alternatives in this section do not apply to alteration of commercial
facilities and places of public accommodation (Title III entities).
Does not
apply
Does not
apply
Applies
**8-603.4 Power-assisted doors.**Power-assisted door or doors may be considered an
equivalent alternative to level landings, strikeside clearance and door-opening forces
required by regular code.
8-603.5 Toilet rooms. In lieu of separate-gender toilet facilities as required in the regular
code, an accessible unisex toilet may be designated.
**8-603.6 Exterior and interior ramps and lifts.**Alternatives listed in order of priority are:
1. A lift or a ramp of greater than standard slope but no greater than 1:10, for
horizontal distances not to exceed 5 feet (1525 mm). Signs shall be posted at upper
and lower levels to indicate steepness of the slope.
2. Access by ramps of 1:6 slope for horizontal distance not to exceed 13 inches (330
mm). Signs shall be posted at upper and lower levels to indicate steepness of the slope.
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
Applies
SECTION 8-604 — EQUIVALENT FACILITATION
Use of other designs and technologies, or deviation from particular technical and scoping
requirements, are permitted if the application of the alternative provisions contained in
Section 8-603 would threaten or destroy the historical significance or character-defining
features of the qualified historical building or property.
1. Such alternatives shall be applied only on an item-by-item or case-by-case basis.
2. Access provided by experiences, services, functions, materials and resources
through methods including, but not limited to, maps, plans, videos, virtual reality
and related equipment, at accessible levels. The alternative design and/or
technologies used will provide substantially equivalent or greater accessibility to,
and usability of, the facility.
3. The official charged with the enforcement of the standards shall document the
reasons for the application of the design and/or technologies and their effect on the
historical significance or character-defining features. Such documentation shall be
in accordance with Section 8-602.2, Item 2, and shall include the opinion and
comments of state or local accessibility officials, and the opinion and comments of
representative local groups of people with disabilities. Such documentation shall
be retained in the permanent file of the enforcing agency. Copies of the required
documentation should be available at the facility upon request.
** Note:**For commercial facilities and places of public accommodation
(Title III entities).
Equivalent facilitation for an element of a building or property when applied as a waiver
of an ADA accessibility requirement will not be entitled to the Federal Department of
Justice certification of this code as rebuttable evidence of compliance for that element.
Applies Waivers
If a builder
applies for a
waiver of an
ADA
accessibility
requirement for
an element of a
building, he or
she will not be
entitled to
certification’s
rebuttable
evidence of
compliance for
that element.
This limitation
on the
certification
determination
should be noted
in any
publication of
Chapter 8-6 if
certification is
granted.
Applies

Notes: The regular code for Chapter 8-6 is contained in Title 24, Part 2, Vol.1, Chapter 11B, which contain standards for new construction. Provisions of this chapter may be used in conjunction with all other provisions of the regular code and ADA regulations.

26 2019 CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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HISTORY NOTE APPENDIX

Title 24, Part 8, California Code of Regulations (CCR)

HISTORY:

For prior history, see the History Note Appendix to the Cali- fornia Historical Building Code, 2016 Triennial Edition, effective January 1, 2017.

  1. Adoption of the 2019 California Historical Building Code, CCR Title 24, Part 8, carrying forward existing amendments from the 2016 edition, for State regulated occupancies, effective January 1, 2020.

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

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