Wis. Stat. § 101.132 — WI Code / Chapter 101 / Section 101.132
Section 101.132
Status: in_force

1. If more than 50 percent of the interior square footage of any housing with 3 or more dwelling units is to be remodeled, the entire housing shall conform to the standards in par. (a) , regardless of when the housing was first intended for occupancy.

2. If 25 percent to 50 percent of the interior square footage of any housing with 3 or more dwelling units is to be remodeled, that part of the housing that is to be remodeled shall conform to the standards in par. (a) , regardless of when the housing was first intended for occupancy.

3. If less than 25 percent of the interior square footage of any housing with 3 or more dwelling units is to be remodeled, the remodeling is not subject to the standards in par. (a) unless the alteration involves work on doors, entrances, exits or toilet rooms, in which case the doors, entrances, exits or toilet rooms shall conform to the standards in par. (a) regardless of when the housing was first intended for occupancy.

4. The department may grant a variance or waiver from the requirements under this paragraph relating to exterior accessibility using the standards and procedures under par. (c) .

(c) Permit and variance procedures.

1. Plans and specifications for all covered multifamily housing subject to par. (a) and proposed remodeling subject to par. (b) shall be submitted to the department or its authorized representative for examination and approval before commencing work. The department shall promulgate rules that specify the materials to be included in the submittal, the procedures to be followed upon receipt of a submittal, reasonable time limitations for reviewing submittals and issuing or denying permits and qualifications for authorized representatives.

2. The department may grant a variance from the requirements relating to exterior accessibility under par. (a) 1. or (b) , or from administrative rules promulgated under par. (e) 2. , if the person designing, constructing or remodeling the housing shows that meeting those requirements is impractical because of the terrain or unusual characteristics of the site. The department shall use a slope analysis of the undisturbed site for covered multifamily housing under par. (a) or the existing site for remodeling under par. (b) to determine the minimum number of accessible entrances at each site, with a minimum goal of exterior accessibility of 50 percent of the dwelling units of covered multifamily housing at one site. The department may impose specific conditions in granting a variance to promote exterior accessibility of the housing to persons with disabilities. If the department finds that exterior accessibility is impractical as to all dwelling units at a site, it may grant a waiver from the requirements under par. (a) 1. or (b) .

(d) Safe harbor.

1. Except as provided in subd. 2. , covered multifamily housing and remodeled housing are accessible for purposes of this subsection if they comply with one of the following:

a. The applicable requirements of ANSI A117.1.

b. Final guidelines issued by the federal department of housing and urban development, published in the federal register on March 6, 1991.

c. Another standard that affords persons with disabilities access that is essentially equivalent to or greater than that required by ANSI A117.1.

2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to remodeled or covered multifamily housing for which a building permit is issued on or after January 1, 1995.

(e) General powers and duties of department.

1. The requirements under this subsection are in addition to, and do not supplant, the requirements under s. 101.13 relating to the use of public buildings by persons with disabilities. Any conflict between this subsection and s. 101.13 or the rules promulgated under s. 101.13 shall be resolved in favor of the provision providing the greatest degree of access by persons with disabilities, as determined by the department.

2. The department shall promulgate rules establishing minimum accessibility requirements for the design and construction of covered multifamily housing and the remodeling of housing that are consistent with this subsection, that incorporate the applicable standards under ANSI A117.1 and that set forth permit and variance procedures for purposes of par. (c) .

History: 1997 a. 237 ss. 330 , 335 to 351 ; 1999 a. 32 , 82 ; 2017 a. 317 ; 2017 a. 365 s. 111 .