Newton commissioners defer adoption of updated accessibility standard pending state fire marshal review

At a Newton City Commission work session, commissioners discussed adopting updated building-code accessibility standards — specifically ANSI A117.1 — but deferred any formal adoption while staff awaits a review by the state fire marshal.

Rebecca, staff member, told the commission that the only outstanding item from prior comments was updating the flood-insurance-study date to the most current and that the department was awaiting the fire marshal's response before moving ordinances to the full meeting for adoption. "We're waiting to hear back from the state fire marshal," Rebecca said.

Justin, staff member, said the city had mailed and emailed notices to the public and that "nearly 300" letters had been sent requesting comment. Andy, staff member, added that "the statute gives 30 days, and that 30 days is up at, 09:18 on 07:30," a deadline staff said they were tracking.

Malcolm Watkins, an architect in Wichita who identified himself as speaking late in the meeting, urged commissioners to note differences between the new A117.1 standard and previous accessibility guidance. "With this new code adoption, there is new standards that get adopted. It's called the a 1 17," Watkins said. He warned that some clearances increase under the newer standard, citing a change that "goes to 67 inches" for turn radiuses and other requirements that can expand required square footage in new construction.

Watkins also described choices other local governments have made. He said Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita had omitted the code chapter that incorporates A117.1 and relied on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) instead, noting that some municipalities write out the chapter for accessibility and rely on ADA standards to reduce local liability. "They've kinda taken the stance that they wanna protect the city from, possibilities of federal lawsuits versus, including that portion of the building code," he said.

Staff and commissioners discussed key practical effects: A117.1 can affect door clearances, hallway widths and assembly spaces such as auditoriums or church sanctuaries. Commissioners noted that the standard applies to new construction and to projects involving material alterations, not to existing buildings that are otherwise unchanged. One option raised by staff was preparing a side-by-side comparison of the newer A117.1 provisions and the prior version or an amendment that would align turn radiuses and certain ramp-space dimensions with ADA measurements.

Staff emphasized they were not making an adoption decision at the work session. Rebecca said the next step would be to return the updated ordinances for formal adoption at the commission's next regularly scheduled meeting in August after the fire marshal's review is complete. Commissioners expressed appreciation for the technical input and signaled willingness to consider either the full A117.1 adoption or targeted amendments to address local concerns about square footage and construction costs.

No formal motion or vote was taken during the work session. The commission adjourned the work session and planned to reconvene at 7 p.m. for the regularly scheduled meeting the same evening.