Title
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1819-32 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTIONS 5-201 (C) AND 5-202 (C) OF ARTICLE II OF CHAPTER 5 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, SO AS TO AMEND THE 2015 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE AND 2015 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE TO INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION OF DIAPER CHANGING TABLES; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
Body
BACKGROUND: At the "City Council Retreat (Annual Planning Session)" in August of this year, City Council designated, as one of their priorities: requiring installation of diaper changing tables in both male and female public restrooms in new commercial developments and those commercial developments undergoing renovations of a designated threshold. At the September 27, 2018 Community Planning and Transportation Committee meeting, City Council members reviewed the code amendment proposal presented by staff, recommended changes and directed staff to take this item forward to Council Conference for review. On December 11, 2018 at Council Conference, staff presented an amended proposal and was directed to make additional revisions for submission to City Council.
HISTORY: In October of 2016, then President Barack Obama signed into law a bill requiring diaper changing stations in both male and female restrooms in publicly accessible federal buildings. The law is titled "Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation Act or BABIES Act". Although, even before the BABIES Act was enacted many municipalities/states had already started requiring businesses to install diaper changing tables and many retailers have been installing diaper changing tables for years without question. However, the issue is the location of the changing table.
Starting in the late 80's and early 90's there was a noticeable increase in the number of parents, both mothers and fathers, that began taking their children with them for their daily err...
Click here for full text