An accessible portable restroom is planned into the count of an Albuquerque event, not added on top of it. The City's Cultural Services rental application asks for accessible toilets as part of the total, and it suggests one toilet per 200 people, including ADA units, as a question on the form. The accessible share for a given event is confirmed with the permit office, because no binding share for Albuquerque events was found in the sources reviewed.
Key takeaways
- The City's form asks for ADA accessible toilets inside the total count.
- The one-per-200 suggestion is a question on the form, not a code rule.
- No binding accessible share for Albuquerque events was found in the sources reviewed.
- Federal guidance used for other cities is not carried over to Albuquerque without a local source.
- The accessible route, the surface and the sign matter as much as the unit itself.
- Confirm the accessible count with the permit office in writing and attach it to the plan.
What does the City's form ask for?
The Cultural Services rental application asks how many portable toilets and hand-wash stations the applicant plans to provide. It includes accessible toilets in that count and suggests one toilet per 200 people as a way to answer the question.
The form's question is about the total, with the accessible units inside it. An accessible unit is therefore counted as one of the toilets, not added to them.
The suggestion is a starting point for the answer. It is not a code requirement, and the permit office can ask for more detail than the form asks.
When a count is set in writing, the accessible units are named in it, so the rental and the permit office both see the accessible share as a number and not as a note.
Where should an accessible unit sit?
Near the entrance or the main path, on a firm, level route that a wheelchair can use, and with a sign that points to it. A unit at the far end of an uneven path is used less and can be unreachable.
The route is checked first, then the unit. A grab bar on a unit at the end of a muddy path does not help a guest who cannot get to it.
A sign at the entrance and at each junction tells guests where the accessible unit is. Without the sign, guests walk to the nearest standard unit and the accessible one stays empty.
- A firm, level route from the entrance to the unit
- A pad at the door that is level and clear of mud
- A sign at the entrance and at each junction
- A check of the door, the grab bars and the floor space at delivery
What about parks and event fields?
Park fields vary in grade and surface. An accessible unit that looks level on a plan can sit on a slope in the field, so the check is done on site, and the unit sits on dirt or concrete under the park's conditions.
The Park Use rules set the surface for any unit in a City park, and the accessible unit follows the same rule. The route to it must be firm and must not cross turf that is worn or soft.
The site plan shows the accessible unit and its route. A reviewer who sees the route on the plan can check it against the field before the event.
How is a late request for an accessible unit handled?
Call as early as possible. A late request depends on what the company has free on the day, and the placement and the route still need the check, which takes time.
Ask on the call what is available for your date. The company does not promise a unit that is not on the truck, and the call gives the realistic window.
If the count changes after the event starts, the site contact calls for a unit and the technician confirms the delivery time on the phone.
What should the contact do on the day?
Keep the route clear of cords, tent poles and equipment, report any step, gap or soft patch to the technician and keep the sign in place.
The contact checks the route before the gates open and again at the peak. A guest who needs the unit should not have to ask where it is.
A problem with the accessible unit, such as a door that does not close or a grab bar that is loose, is reported at once and the unit is taken out of service until it is fixed.
How does a long event or season change the accessible plan?
The accessible unit is serviced on a schedule tighter than the standard units, because guests who use it take longer. The route and the sign are checked at each visit, not only at delivery.
Guests who need an accessible unit may use it more slowly, so it fills more slowly and needs a clean check more often. The schedule reflects that.
A season plan reviews the accessible count at the midpoint, because the attendance of guests who need the unit can change over the season.
What belongs in the event's accessibility notes?
The accessible count, the route, the sign, the surface and the contact. The notes are shared with the permit office and the rental company, so the plan is consistent.
A short note with those five items is kept with the site plan. It names the person responsible for the route and the number to call if the unit is out of service.
The note is updated when the plan changes, and the old version is kept with the file so the history is clear.
How is the accessible unit's cleaning handled?
With the same schedule as the standard units and a tighter check at each visit, because the accessible unit is used more slowly and needs its grab bars and floor checked each time.
The technician wipes the grab bars and checks the door's latch and swing at each visit. A loose bar or a sticking latch is repaired or the unit is taken out of service.
The schedule records each check, so the contact knows when the accessible unit was last inspected.
What about the crowd on the route to the unit?
The route must not be used as a queue for the standard units. A sign and a barrier keep the accessible route clear, so a guest who needs the unit does not wait behind a line for a standard one.
The contact keeps the route clear during the peak and directs guests to the standard units when the accessible route is busy. A barrier or a cone line can help when the crowd is large.
A guest who needs the accessible unit should not have to ask the way. The sign at each junction is the first help, and the contact is the second.
How is an accessible unit placed at a parking area?
At the nearest point to the drop-off, on a firm route with a curb cut or a level path, and clear of the traffic lane. A parking area with no level path cannot take an accessible unit until the route is checked.
The technician looks at the route from the parking space to the unit before the unit is set. A curb without a cut, a gravel path or a slope stops a wheelchair, and the placement is moved until the route works.
The sign at the parking area points to the accessible unit, so a guest who arrives by car finds it without searching.
What does the accessible plan look like on paper?
A plan with the accessible unit's number, its route drawn in, the surface under the unit, the sign's location and the contact's name. The plan is reviewed by the permit office with the rest of the event plan.
A reviewer can read the accessible route on the plan and check it against the site. A route drawn on the plan with its surface named is easier to approve than a note that says accessible unit near the entrance.
The plan is kept with the permit and updated when the layout changes, so the reviewer and the contact see the same route.
Frequently asked questions
Does the City require a set number of accessible units?
The sources reviewed do not give a binding number for Albuquerque events. The form asks for accessible units inside the total, and the permit office confirms the share for each event.
Is the one-per-200 figure the same as an accessibility rule?
No. It is the form's suggestion for the total count, including ADA units. It is not an accessibility rule, and the share is confirmed with the permit office.
Does the accessible unit cost more?
The quote lists the accessible unit as its own line on the call, so the caller sees it. This guide does not give a price.
Can the accessible unit be placed in a park?
Yes, on dirt or concrete under the park's conditions, on a firm route and with the site plan showing it.
Who checks the accessible unit at delivery?
The technician checks the door, the grab bars and the floor space, and records the check on the delivery sheet.
What if a guest needs a unit with more space than the standard accessible unit?
Ask on the call. The technician confirms what the company has on the day and whether a trailer with more room fits the site plan.
Can a guest ask for the accessible unit to be moved?
Yes. Tell the contact or the technician, and the placement is reviewed against the route. A move is made only to a firm, level spot on the approved plan.
Can a guest bring their own accessible equipment?
Yes, the guest may use their own equipment, and the technician checks the route and the unit with that in mind on the day.
Sources
- City of Albuquerque, Special Events and Park Use pages
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Albuquerque city
This guide is general information for Bernalillo County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.