City of San Diego event guidance asks that 10 percent of restroom facilities be accessible, that every restroom location have at least one accessible unit on level ground with a 2 percent maximum cross-slope on an accessible route, and that a single unit at a location be accessible itself. Confirm the current rule with the Office of Special Events.
Key takeaways
- City of San Diego special event guidance asks that 10 percent of restroom facilities be accessible, and that each restroom location have at least one accessible unit.
- An accessible unit should stand on level ground with a maximum cross-slope of 2 percent, on an accessible route, and a single unit at a location must itself be accessible.
- Standard units sit on a liner so spills cannot reach storm drains, while accessible units may use sandbags, so the pad must suit whichever the provider uses.
- An older county policy asked for at least one accessible toilet and one handwash station at every event, and one extra accessible unit per set of non-accessible units over 25; it is dated, so ask for the current requirement.
- This guide describes event guidance, not the full text of disability access law, and the provider supplies cabins but does not certify them.
What do San Diego's event rules say about accessible units?
The City's Special Event Guidelines ask that 10 percent of restroom facilities be accessible and that each restroom location have at least one accessible unit, on level ground with a 2 percent maximum cross-slope on an accessible route. A single unit at a location must itself be accessible. The Office of Special Events confirms the current requirement.
The same percentage appears in the application for special events in developed regional parks. The guidance is written for event organizers, and it lists layout conditions along with the share. It reads as a layout rule as much as a count.
This guide does not set out the full text of any federal or state accessibility law. If your event is subject to one, your permit office, an accessibility consultant or an attorney can say how it applies. The provider supplies cabins and does not certify them.
What makes ground and a route accessible?
Level ground with a cross-slope of no more than 2 percent, a firm surface and a route with no step, curb or loose material between the main flow of guests and the cabin door. A 2 percent slope is about a quarter inch of drop per foot. Test the spot and the route with a level or a smartphone before delivery.
Event sites are rarely flat. A closed street crowns toward its gutters, a park lawn undulates, a parking lot tilts toward its drains and a boardwalk end may have a lip. Measure at the pad and along the approach, not only at the door.
Surfaces matter as much as slope. Soft sand, wet turf and loose gravel stop a wheelchair. A paved edge, a mat or a boardwalk end is a better choice. Ask the provider what it can place under the cabin and how it levels the unit.
A simple field test is to roll a loaded suitcase or a stroller along the route and across the pad. If it rolls away, catches on a lip or bogs down, a wheelchair will do worse. Fix the problem before the cabin arrives, by shifting the spot, laying a mat or smoothing a transition, and tell the provider what you changed.
- Level pad, cross-slope no more than 2 percent
- Firm surface along the whole route
- No curb, step or cable run between the crowd and the door
- Room beside the cabin to approach and turn
- No vehicles, barricades or stock in the approach
How do liners and sandbags affect the pad?
City guidance says standard units sit on a liner so spills cannot reach storm drains, and accessible units may use sandbags. Both need a surface they can sit on without creating a lip or a slope. A liner or a bag around an accessible cabin can create a ridge, so ask the provider how it keeps the threshold usable.
This is a detail organizers rarely think about until the unit arrives. A sandbag placed in the approach can stop a wheelchair as effectively as a step. Walk the approach after set-up and ask the provider to adjust anything that creates a lip.
Where the pad is close to a storm drain, shift the bank rather than relying on protection alone. Mark the drains on your map and send it to the provider.
What do the county's older rules add?
An older San Diego County policy based on the 2001 California Plumbing Code used one facility per 150 persons for assembly, at least one accessible toilet and one handwash station at every event, and one extra accessible unit for each set of non-accessible units over 25. It is dated, and the county's event guide recommends about one toilet per 250, so ask for the current requirement.
Under that older wording, extra accessible units are added as the number of non-accessible units climbs past 25, while the city's 10 percent share scales with the whole plan. The two can give different answers, which is why you should ask which applies to your event.
County guidance covers events in places the county controls and food events across the county. Other cities have their own offices. Ask the one that issues your permit.
Because the county figures are dated and the city's wording is about event layout, the sensible approach is to plan to the stricter of the numbers that apply and to record the source of each in your restroom plan. A reviewer can then see which rule you worked from and why.
Which San Diego events show the stakes?
Large public events make the point. San Diego Pride draws about 250,000 viewers to Hillcrest and Balboa Park, and Comic-Con International draws more than 135,000 to downtown over four days, with thousands more at free events nearby. At that scale an accessible plan is a map of units along routes, not a single cabin near a stage.
Smaller events matter just as much to the people they serve. A neighborhood fair in Normal Heights, a festival in North Park and a park concert in Lemon Grove each bring guests who need an accessible cabin, and the cabin is only useful if it is reached.
Think about arrival points. Accessible parking, shuttle stops and drop-off zones tell you where guests with mobility aids enter, and the nearest accessible cabin should be close to them. See the accessible units service page for what to ask the provider.
Can a restroom trailer provide the accessible facility?
Some restroom trailers include an accessible stall, often with a ramp or a low threshold, and a trailer can serve as the accessible facility at a location if the permit office accepts it. Designs differ, so ask the provider to describe the stall and the approach. A trailer needs a flat pad of its own.
A trailer is also a way to give guests with mobility aids a roomier, more private space with a sink. At a formal event or a long festival it can suit better than a bank of cabins. The restroom trailer rental page explains what a site must offer.
Check the approach as carefully as you would for a cabin. A ramp on a trailer helps only if the ground leading to it is firm and level. Ask whether the provider's trailer ramp meets the surface you have.
What should I ask the provider, and what should I check on the day?
Ask for the interior size, door width, rails, threshold and ramp option, and how many accessible cabins it has free. On the day, walk each approach before gates open, confirm the ground is firm and level, and keep one volunteer near every bank to call the provider.
The line cannot see any provider's stock, so no accessible cabin is promised on the call. Ask early, because accessible units are fewer than standard ones and large events draw on the same pool.
Ask also about servicing. Accessible cabins are used by guests who may take longer, and a plan that treats them like any other cabin may leave them full when they are needed most.
The commonest failure is a blocked approach: a van pulled up beside the bank, a stack of barricades, a vendor's cart. A cabin that cannot be reached is not accessible, whatever the plan says.
Write the checklist on a single page and give a copy to the site lead. Note the position of each accessible cabin on the site map, and share the map with security and first-aid volunteers so they can direct guests.
Frequently asked questions
How many accessible portable toilets does a San Diego event need?
City guidance asks that 10 percent of restroom facilities be accessible and that every restroom location have at least one. Confirm the requirement with the Office of Special Events.
What does a 2 percent cross-slope mean?
A drop of about a quarter inch for every foot of width across the pad. It is a gentle tilt that is easy to exceed on a lawn or a crowned street.
Can I use one accessible unit for the whole event?
City guidance says each restroom location needs at least one, and a single unit at a location must itself be accessible. A large event with several banks needs several.
Does the provider certify its accessible cabins?
No. This site does not certify any cabin either. Ask the provider for a description and confirm the requirement with your permit office.
Do private events need accessible units?
City guidance applies to special events on city property. A private event is a different case, but guests may still need one. Ask the provider what it recommends.
Sources
- City of San Diego – Office of Special Events permit information
- County of San Diego – Temporary Food Event organizer checklist
- County of San Diego – official website
This guide is general information for San Diego County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.