City council member Betty Dunkerley, who proposed the ordinance, says costly rules such as requiring builders to install ramps or no-step entrances will be sent back to stakeholders to include in an incentive or bonus program.

The scaled-back ordinance would require builders to provide:

• blocking behind the bath and toilet in one first-floor bathroom so that grab bars could be installed;
• minimum door width of 32 inches for at least one first-floor entry;
• minimum door width of 30 inches for all first-floor doors;
• lever handle hardware on all first-floor doors;
• maximum height of 48 inches for switches, thermostats and electrical disconnects; and
• minimum height of 15 inches for electrical receptacles and plugs.

Dunkerley says required features under the ordinance should not cost more than $200, while retrofitting homes could cost at least ten times as much.

The effective date of the new ordinance would be Jan. 1, 2009.

Printed: Austin Business Journal, 6/6/2008