QUESTION: Do I have to sit in the front row because I am in a wheelchair?
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ANSWER: I like this question because to answer is and emphatic NO!
The front row is not a legal wheelchair space in assembly areas. The answer is found in Section 221.2.3.1:
221.2.3.1 Horizontal Dispersion. Wheelchair spaces shall be dispersed horizontally.
EXCEPTIONS: 1. Horizontal dispersion shall not be required in assembly areas with 300 or fewer seats if the companion seats required by 221.3 and wheelchair spaces are located within the 2nd or 3rd quartile [emphasis added] of the total row length. Intermediate aisles shall be included in determining the total row length. If the row length in the 2nd and 3rd quartile of a row is insufficient to accommodate the required number of companion seats and wheelchair spaces, the additional companion seats and wheelchair spaces shall be permitted to be located in the 1st and 4th quartile of the row.
2. In row seating, two wheelchair spaces shall be permitted to be located side-by-side.
Advisory 221.2.3.1 Horizontal Dispersion. Horizontal dispersion of wheelchair spaces is the placement of spaces in an assembly facility seating area from side-to-side or, in the case of an arena or stadium, around the field of play or performance area.
In this section, referenced above, we see the word “quartile”. This means we divide this eating area into four quartiles both horizontally and vertically so we have four equal parts, from front to back and side to side.
The wheelchair spaces must be in the 2nd or 3rd quartile; the minimum required wheelchair space cannot be in front, back or side quartile. Therefore, only when the assembly area have over the minimum required wheelchair spaces can they be located in the front, back and side.
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