Tag: Division of the State Architect

Alignment of CA and Federal Access Regulations

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in: AIACC / 4 Comments
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The Division of the State Architect has announced the adoption of updated accessibility standards for the 2013 California Building Code that—for the first time ever—align existing California and federal access regulations for everything ranging from parking spaces and hand rails to housing. The result is a single set of requirements which meet both state and federal accessibility requirements and enhance accessibility for all Californians.

The Division of the State Architect develops and maintains accessibility and historical buildings standards and codes utilized in public and private buildings throughout California. In addition, the group also has oversight responsibility for design and construction of K-12 schools and community colleges.

“Adoption of the 2013 California Building Code provides clarity and consistency for both the general public and code users such as architects, contractors and building officials,” said State Architect Chet Widom.

The new regulations were developed by Division of the State Architect and integrate existing state building code provisions with those from the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. The regulations were recently adopted by the California Building Standards Commission for the 2013 California Building Code.

Forty years ago, California led the nation by enacting laws to establish accessibility standards. Twenty years later, in 1990, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. Since that time, Californians have struggled with compliance of both state and federal access laws and standards since the two have never been completely aligned.

During the development of the 2013 state building code, more than 2,500 items from the 2010 state and federal codes were analyzed to determine which provisions provided greater accessibility. Items studied varied from parking spaces, handrails, drinking fountains, and signs, to transportation facilities, housing, and correctional facilities. Provisions for recreational facilities have also been incorporated in the 2013 state building code, including amusement rides, playgrounds, golf courses and fishing piers.

 

Help Align the California Building Code and the ADA

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in: Accessibility / 2 Comments
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As a result of the Division of the State Architect’s (DSA) efforts to reconcile and align the recently adopted federal accessibility requirements with the existing State building codes, the DSA has identified five conflicts between State and federal accessibility regulations that cannot be resolved by using the more stringent of the two requirements.

Because of these conflicts, construction of new facilities or alteration of existing facilities under current State Building Code provisions may be out of compliance with the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards.  Every newly constructed or altered toilet facility within California will violate some aspect of the 2010 ADA Standards until the 2013 California Building Code goes into effect on January 1, 2014.   Violations of the 2010 ADA Standards, even technical ones, are violations of California Civil Code § 54 (c) likely resulting in further lawsuits over technical violations for even fractions of an inch.

In an effort to resolve these conflicts, and reduce the likelihood of access related lawsuits, the Division of the State Architect will introduce emergency regulations at the July 19, 2012 California Building Standards Commission (Commission) meeting.

The AIACC is supporting the emergency regulations and in addition requests its members also send letters of support for the emergency regulations to the Commission.  A sample letter to the Commission has been provided for your convenience.  Also, rulemaking documents and information relating to these emergency regulations may be found here.

Please send your letters and additional comments to:

Jim McGowan, Executive Director
Building Standards Commission
2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130
Sacramento, CA 95833
Jim.mcgowan@dgs.ca.gov

 

Working to Streamline Accessibility Laws

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in: Accessibility / 3 Comments
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Last week, the AIACC testified before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in support of SB 1186 (Steinberg/Dutton). SB 1186 seeks to promote compliance with the state’s disability access laws without increasing unwarranted litigation. The bill easily passed and now rests in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

The language contained in the current version of the bill focuses primarily on how an attorney is to provide a written advisory (demand letter) to a building owner. However, the SB 1186 working group (of which the AIACC is part) established by Senators Steinberg and Dutton continues to seek legislative proposals to provide legal relief to those affected by the issues surrounding the Federal ADA, the California Building Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24) and California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act—all without compromising access compliance or civil rights.

For architects, some of the most significant aspects of the effort are the proposals being generated by the working group. These include the Division of the State Architect’s (DSA) efforts to align the ADA with the access provisions of Title-24 and the improvement of the Certified Access Specialist Program (CASp). Also to be considered is the inclusion of language that addresses issues such as when an access code violation can be considered a technical violation (think handicap parking signage mounted three inches off-center of the parking stall), versus a true access violation (a barrier to access, e.g., a 24” wide restroom door in a public accommodation).

Because the alignment of Title 24 and the ADA plays a key role, the working group is depending on the DSA to deliver on its ongoing efforts for preparing the update of California’s 2013 building code for accessibility. As you may be aware, since May, the DSA has held a series of Access Code Forums, seeking input and comments from accessibility stakeholders, interested parties, and the general public as part of its emergency rule-making efforts to align state and federal access regulations. One area of significant importance that has been included in this effort is construction tolerances (allowing for a specified dimensional range). Whether dimensional, or in the form of open-mindedness, tolerance will certainly play a key role in resolving this issue.

 

Weigh in on the Access Code Updates

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in: Public Policy / 2 Comments

In preparation for its updating of the accessibility codes, the Division of the State Architect (DSA) Advisory Board is seeking input and comments from interested parties through a series of Access Code Forums. The Forums will be hosted throughout California by the DSA Regional Offices in May, June, and July of 2012.

DSA’s goal for the 2013 access code update is to provide end users of the access code clarity and consistency through an integrated document combining the most stringent provisions from the 2010 California Building Code and the federal 2010 ADA Standards.

This is your chance as a design professional to help the DSA and the profession by creating a clear and consistent access regulations update to California’s accessibility code provisions.

The Forums will be held with the following discussion topics, dates and locations (see addresses below).

  • Forum No. 1 – Chapter 3: Building Blocks and Proposed Emergency Items
    24 May 2012 in Sacramento


  • Forum No. 2 – Accessible Routes and Chapter 5: General Site and Building Elements
    31 May 2012 in Oakland


  • Forum No. 3 – Chapter 6: Plumbing Elements and Facilities
    7 June 2012 in Sacramento


  • Forum No. 4 – Chapter 7: Communication Elements and Features
    14 June 2012 in Los Angeles


  • Forum No. 5 – Chapter 8: Special Rooms and Spaces and Chapter 9: Built-in Elements
    21 June 2012 in Sacramento


  • Forum No. 6 – Chapter 10: Recreational Facilities
    10 July 2012 in San Diego


  • Forum No. 7 – Chapter 1: Application and Administration, Title II State and Local Government Facilities and Title III Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities
    17 July 2012 in Sacramento

You may participate in person at the Forum location and by video-conference at the other DSA Regional offices. A call-in teleconference line will also be available. Draft language will be posted on the DSA web-site and distributed to interested parties on the Access 2013 Stakeholder e-mail list, with alternative formats provided upon request.

These forums provide the first opportunity for public input as DSA reconciles the recently adopted federal accessibility requirements with the existing State building codes. Ultimately, these proposed changes will be submitted to the California Building Standards Commission for additional public review and comment prior to adoption and approval.

Forums will be hosted by the DSA Regional Offices at the following locations:

Sacramento Regional Office
1102 Q Street, Suite 5100
Sacramento CA 95811

Los Angeles Regional Office
700 North Alameda Street, Suite 5-500
Los Angeles CA 90012

Oakland Regional Office
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1201
Oakland CA 94612

San Diego Regional Office
10920 Via Frontera, Suite 300
San Diego CA 92127

 

The Office of the State Architect: An Update

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in: Government Affairs / 2 Comments

Chet Widom, FAIA was appointed as California’s 19th State Architect on January 1, 2012. During the interview process, Governor Brown charged Chet with a complex design problem: to redesign state government. Governor Brown was adamant that reform needs to occur within DSA to elevate the state as a leader in design and construction; and Chet as State Architect is the person to lead that effort.

It’s been a busy first quarter for Chet, navigating the various California state agencies, meeting all of the stakeholders, and identifying the important issues. While anyone who works with DSA knows there are a myriad of immediate challenges facing DSA – from improving the problems surrounding disabled access, to project close out, to the ever-present “bin time” for project review, to name a few – Chet is positioning himself to identify a strategic plan for DSA as a visionary organization, a leader in issues affecting the built environment in California, and a partner to those utilizing its services.

One of the important first steps has been to identify available resources. To that end, the AIACC is pleased to announce Bob Chase, AIA has been appointed by Governor Brown as the Deputy State Architect. Bob will make an excellent “right-hand” to the State Architect as they work toward improving the DSA and the services it provides.

Bob has a strong background as both an architect and a building official; which will serve him well as DSA struggles to improve its plan review and approval service to California’s more than 2000 public school districts.

Prior to his appointment by Governor Brown, Bob most recently served as acting chief building official for the City of Stockton since 2011. He also was the chief building official for the County of Sacramento beginning in 2009, and chief building official for the City of Sacramento from 2006 to 2009. In addition to his public service as a building official, Bob also was a partner at LPA/Sacramento Architects and prior to that a managing principal at Nadel Architects, and the director of design at Leidenfrost Horowitz and Associates.

The AIACC wishes Bob well as he and Chet and all the DSA staff work hard to improve the DSA. If you have any issues regarding DSA or recommendations, please let me know.

 

What Does the AIACC Do For Me?

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As a member of the AIA, you receive benefits at the local, state, and national levels. It is probably easy for you to quantify what you received from your local chapter…but maybe it is more challenging to relate to the work in Sacramento on your behalf. Rest assured, the AIACC isn’t resting on past accomplishments…2012 promises to be a busy year as we work to advance the value of design, reclaim the role of architect as “trusted advisor” and look forward. Through proactive advocacy initiatives, new and innovative programs, and increased communications, we are actively engaged in positioning architects to be successful. Check out the 2012 Operating Plan for specific details.

Below are five important things the AIACC did for you as a member in 2011:

  1. We created a vision for the Division of the State Architect (DSA) which will allow the State of California to assume a leadership role in the thoughtful development of the built environment.

    What does this mean to me as a member?
    At the highest level of California state government, the AIACC is actively advocating for architects and architecture and the important role design plays in helping solve challenges facing California.

    2. We sponsored legislation, AB 560, which was signed into law by Governor Brown. AB 560 extends the sunset date on the law that allows architectural firms to be organized as Limited Liability Partnerships by seven years, and it does not increase the amount of professional liability insurance architectural LLPs must carry.

    What does this mean to me as a member?
    This law continues to allow architects diversity in how they choose to set up their corporate structure for practice.
    We increased opportunities for member engagement on the website and through social media outlets.

  2. What does this mean to me as a member?
    With all the changes in technology and all the options available to connect to various groups, it is vital to maintain connections within the profession, to build communities, and to stay engaged during these challenging times. Follow us on Twitter at #aiacc.
    We increased online continuing education. In addition to providing online courses to help architects fulfill their CE requirements for licensure, for the first time we also filmed the presentations from MDC, which are available at www.aecknowledge.com
  3. What does this mean to me as a member?
    We provide low cost, high-quality continuing education when you are ready for it – 24/7/365.

    4. The AIACC held the first Architectural Education Summit. This initiative brought together a diverse group of stakeholders for a strategic planning session, which resulted in a five-year initiative to bridge the gap between architectural education and practice within California.

    What does this mean to me as a member?
    Your professional organization is concerned about the apparent disconnect between what is taught in architecture school and what is needed in practice. Further, the decline in licensees and the lack of new architects entering the profession is of great concern; during this summit, these issues were discussed as part of the larger initiative to ensure the health of the profession.

 

AIACC at Work for You: 2011 Year in Review

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in: AIACC / 1 Comment

Like volunteer leaders in AIA components across the country, I entered the office of AIACC President with passion, enthusiasm, and lofty goals for improving the AIA and our profession. We set goals, quickly identifying the need for stronger collaborations, improved communications, and more proactive advocacy initiatives. I urged us to build stronger coalitions and to bring together the many groups focused on efforts similar to ours to forge alliances and to be a stronger force in the political arena. I also emphasized the need to change the way we communicate and to create more leadership training opportunities for future leaders of AIA and for citizen architects to lead our communities. I stressed the importance of expanding the voices of our students, associates, and young architect members at all levels of AIA. I was ambitious and full of ideas and optimism.

Then reality set in, and I realized more and more each day that serving as your President was a far more complex effort than I had ever imagined. Paul Welch – our Executive Vice President – went to Washington to help out our ailing parent organization, California elected a new governor who was faced with overwhelming deficits, and the recession that we all hoped wouldn’t last too long is still with us. Issues were popping up all over the place that we hadn’t counted on, and yet, with reduced staff and a budget that anticipated using reserves, we accomplished a phenomenal amount and put money into reserves rather than spending them!

In looking back, it is common to reflect on the goals and focus on what hasn’t yet been achieved, but instead, I am amazed at all of the accomplishments of our committees, volunteers, and staff. Here are just a few of the highlights of 2011.

Regulatory Affairs. We created a vision for the Division of the State Architect (DSA), which will allow the State of California to assume a leadership role in the thoughtful development of the built environment.

  • Published Maximizing California’s Resources: Recommendations for a Stronger Design and Construction Industry as a vision for a renewed DSA in partnership with the K-12 Capitol Forum Group.
  • Established a process to recruit and vet candidates for the State Architect position.
  • Assisted the Governor’s office in the appointment of Chester Widom, FAIA, as the new State Architect.

Legislative Advocacy. The AIACC sponsored legislation, AB 560, was signed into law by Governor Brown. AB 560 extends the sunset date on the law that allows architectural firms to be organized as Limited Liability Partnerships by seven years, and it does not increase the amount of professional liability insurance architectural LLPs must carry.

Communications. 2011 was a year of transition. While we had a great start on a new website platform, we quickly realized the need for a stronger commitment to increased presence on the web with greater engagement of our members and the general public. Staff and budgets have been realigned and priorities redirected to a new, invigorated web site. We have plans for ongoing content generation, and we are increasing our presence in the social media arena. Our relationship with aecKnowledge is expanding, and our offerings of online continuing education opportunities are growing. We recognize the value of developing more knowledge content to support our advocacy efforts, and we are moving toward sharing our stories in increasingly more human ways. This is all good, and these are efforts that must be continued and sustained if the AIACC is to remain relevant.

Architectural Education Summit. This initiative by the AIACC Academy for Emerging Professionals (AEP) and the California Architectural Foundation (CAF) to bring faculty, students, and administrators from colleges and community colleges across the state together to discuss architecture education within the state was ground breaking. A diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), the California Architects Board (CAB), the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), the National Council of Architecture Registration Boards (NCARB), and community colleges participated in this strategic planning session, which resulted in a five-year initiative to bridge the gap between architectural education and practice within the state. Results from the Summit will be available soon.

Monterey Design Conference. Truly one of the outstanding offerings of the AIACC, MDC 2011 did not disappoint! With more than 550 attendees, fabulous speakers, and an increased emphasis on opportunities for interaction, the conference received rave reviews. For the first time, we also filmed the presentations, hosted by aecKnowledge

California Healthcare Facilities Forum. The AIACC’s Capitol Forum partnered with ACHA, to hold a conference to discuss the impact of the new Universal Healthcare law on California facilities. Over 140 healthcare professionals and representatives from the design and construction industry participated in this event, focusing on issues such as the increase in patient volumes (as a result of the new law) and the effect on facilities; how technological innovation will be driving healthcare delivery in the future; and the potential opportunities that accompany this transformational change.
Partnership with the California Architectural Foundation (CAF).

Turnbull Competition/Drylands Conference. Finally, I am pleased to report on the progress between the AIACC and the California Architectural Foundation in strengthening the connections and identifying opportunities for collaboration in support of the AIACC’s advocacy efforts. One of these opportunities materialized in 2011: a focus on water issues within California. The Foundation partnered with the Arid Lands Institute at Woodbury University to create the William Turnbull Competition: Drylands Design. Over 290 students and professionals have registered to participate in this ideas competition to generate progressive proposals that suggest to policy makers and the public creative alternatives for water conservation and mitigation. The jury will be held in January 2012, and the top proposals will be presented at the Drylands Design Conference March 24-25, 2012. This conference will bring together policy makers and design professionals to discuss innovations in planning and architecture that will make a substantive impact on water issues in our state. Ideas generated from the conference will be used to further the AIACC’s advocacy initiatives in this area, and this collaboration is just one example of the many I am hopeful will result in the strengthened partnership between CAF and the AIACC.

These are just a few of the many accomplishments that the AIACC, through the hard work of its many committees, volunteers, and professional staff, has achieved in 2011. I am pleased to be a small part of this organization and look forward to seeing the planning efforts and realignments we undertook this year materialize in 2012.

 

Acting State Architect Howard “Chip” Smith Recognized for his Leadership

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in: Advocacy Issues / 0 Comments

At the recent AIACC Awards and Installation Celebration, Acting California State Architect Howard “Chip” Smith was recognized for his distinguished service to the citizens of California and the design and construction community. For the past 15 months, Chip faced a multitude of challenges worsened by a difficult economy and a highly politicized environment. His leadership, dedication, and perseverance have enabled the Division of the State Architect (DSA) to continue to address and resolve complex issues and concerns surrounding the design, approval, and construction of public schools.

The AIACC is heavily vested in the discussions about a renewed DSA, the appointment of a strong state architect, and the DSA’s role in the renewal of California as a leader in the thoughtful development of the built environment. During his tenure, Chip has proven to be an ally of the profession, sharing the AIACC’s interest in the facilitation of collaboration and the constructive engagement of the design and construction community toward the shared goal of providing stability to the DSA and leadership to the office.

 

The Search for the Next State Architect Continues

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in: Advocacy Issues / 3 Comments
AIA California Council, AIACC, Appointments Unit, architects, Division of the State Architect, DSA, Governor Brown

Parallel with its efforts to strengthen and elevate the purpose of the Division of the State Architect, The AIACC seeks to strengthen the next State Architect’s role in design and construction and is working with the Brown Administration to make it a reality.

As stated in the AIACC’s whitepaper, Maximizing California’s Resources: Recommendations for a Stronger Design and Construction Industry, in order to help build the State’s economy, provide needed jobs, improve our worn infrastructure, house our growing population, and preserve our natural resources, The AIA California Council urges the Administration to 1) Appoint a strong State Architect with vision, to lead the renewed organization insightfully, vigorously, and effectively and 2) Consolidate the State’s construction related functions under the Division of the State Architect as a single, efficient agency, responsible for policy and planning for the built environment, oversight of the design and construction industry, and leadership in sustainability. This renewed State Architect will once again serve as a trusted advisor to the Governor, a resource for the Legislature, and a leader of the profession, bringing architects’ knowledge and skills to bear on the complex challenges facing the state.

The AIACC is working with the Administration’s Appointments Unit to provide candidates for consideration. Through the work of the State Architect Selection Recommendation Task Group and the Executive Committee, the AIACC has advanced four candidates to Governor Brown for consideration for appointment.

During conversations with the Governor’s Appointment’s Unit the AIACC was given the following as criteria for its search efforts:

  • The Governor wants ethnic, gender, and geographic (north and South state representation) diversity
  • Candidates must be a visionary on energy and sustainability issues, and a leader. They must possess and understanding of DSA’s purpose, and be politically astute.

The Governor has expressed a personal interest in the position and as such will conduct the interviews personally. Thus, the timeline for this appointment is dependent upon the Governor’s schedule and priorities. We will keep the membership informed on any developments that arise regarding this important appointment.

 

AIA Los Angeles Challenges DSA to Consider Alternatives for School Construction – 6/16/11

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in: AIACC / 1 Comment

Acting California State Architect Howard “Chip” Smith met with AIA members to address their individual and collective concerns regarding the Division of the State Architect (DSA) and opportunities to streamline the school construction process in California.

Many DSA related issues were discussed, the most significant being plan check and the possibility of making changes to DSA’s current role in the plan checking and certification of public K-12 schools. Suggestions included allowing Architects of Record to self-certify public K-12 school projects at the end of construction; allowing DSA to delegate plan check functions to local building departments for selected K-12 districts, and the possibility for a “tiered DSA process” that streamlines review for small projects.

Efforts to outsource plan review for structural, mechanical, and electrical disciplines currently are employed by the DSA, however there have been calls to extend this to approval responsibility as well. Last year the Schwarzenegger Administration introduced SB 1227 (Runner) which, if passed, would have transferred the authority to review and approve school construction projects to local building departments. It was the Administration’s contention that transferring the duties of the DSA to local building departments would “improve government efficiency and expedite plan review and approval of school construction projects.” Just prior to its first hearing, SB 1227 was canceled at the request of author and the bill was subsequently dropped. The AIACC opposed this bill as members felt it would have created building plan approval chaos and confusion, given the multiple jurisdictions across California and within single school districts (LAUSD has 22 building departments within its district boundaries).

Another significant issue discussed was the inability of architectural firms not currently involved in the design of public schools – but active in the designing of private schools – getting listed for RFQ’s. This has been attributed to the complications associated with DSA’s approval process and a public school district’s desire to hire architectural firms that can navigate the DSA process. It was pointed during the discussion that this barrier to firms is also a barrier to districts in that it precludes them from access to cutting edge educationally integrated design.

While there were no immediate solutions to these issues, the dialog is now open and future discussions are being planned for. Do you have other issues with DSA or recommendations?