Title
Discussion of Options for Public Restrooms
Recommended Action
City Manager Recommendation:
Review information on public restrooms in downtown Olympia and consider options for a six (6) month pilot project
Report
Issue:
What are the best options for public restrooms in downtown Olympia to keep downtown safe and welcoming for all?
Staff Contact:
Anna Schlecht, Housing Program Manager, Community Planning & Development,
360.753.8183
Paul Simmons, Director, Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation 360.753.8462
Presenter(s):
Anna Schlecht, Housing Program Manager
Background and Analysis:
In recent years, the need for public restrooms in Olympia’s downtown has become more acute. Business leaders from the Parking Business Improvement Area (PBIA) and the Olympia Downtown Association (ODA) described this need as their second priority (following a downtown police walking patrol) in an emailed letter dated November 2015 (“Attachment # 1 Business Leaders’ Letter on Public Restrooms”). This letter clarifies the need as two-fold; public restrooms are needed for 1) visitor restrooms for visitors who otherwise place heavy pressure on individual businesses to make their restrooms available; and 2) late night restrooms are critically needed to accommodate bar patrons and street-dependent people who otherwise might defecate and urinate in the alleys, stoops and other areas. In addition to business leaders, many homeless advocates and service providers echo the need for restrooms that are available 24 hours a day/seven (7) days a week to serve street dependent people who have no other resources after business hours.
The letter and subsequent staff research identified the current listing of public restrooms and their hours of operation. (Attachment #2 “Olympia Existing Downtown Restroom Options & Availability”) These public restrooms can be summarized as being available during daylight hours. Staff also explored the potential availability of restrooms at a number of non-profit organizations. In summary, there are available public restrooms during the day, however most of these facilities close by 5 pm or 9 pm at the latest, leaving an unmet need for public restrooms overnight.
Staff identified the key City goals for public restrooms that would make our downtown safe and welcoming for all as follows:
• Ensure that toilets are available to ALL users, ADA accessible & transgender-friendly
• Provide dignified restroom accommodations for street-dependent people
• Reduce the negative impact of human waste downtown
• Engage other community partners to respond to a public health problem
• Develop shared definition of success
Guided by these goals, staff examined a wide range of options that are detailed in the attached chart entitled (Attachment #3 “Public Restrooms - Best Practice Models”). This review identified the pros and cons of each model, ranging from effectiveness, cost, and impact on surrounding neighbors.
At this time, it seems prudent to consider options for a six (6) month pilot project to create public restrooms that will be available 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week in our downtown core. Key steps should include the following:
• Identify and engage with community partners to explore options and participate in a six (6) month pilot project;
• Identify location(s) that include both City of Olympia owned-sites and negotiate with community partners for non-City of Olympia owned sites;
• Consider multiple locations for public restrooms to ensure the greatest access and use;
• Consider multiple types of toilet options, rather than pursue only one option;
• Prioritize flexibility of type & location to avoid expensive failures in other cities (i.e. Seattle, San Diego, San Jose & other high profile expensive mistakes);
• Develop monitoring plan for toilets that offers additional downtown security, including the option of a walking security guard that monitors the safety of the restrooms as well as other downtown activity;
• Consider impact of restrooms on surrounding neighbors (i.e. how do the respective designs, locations, and related operations impact neighbors); and,
• Design evaluation tools that measure effectiveness of the restrooms and inform future options for public toilets. Model evaluation after the Alcohol Impact Area approach. Evaluation should focus on success, not just failures.
Staff met with Councilmember Roe on January 6, 2015 and developed the following recommendations as a four-prong approach:
1) Negotiate with the State for extended hours: Contact public officials with the State to seek extended hours for the Heritage Park (Capital Lake) restroom facility;
2) Support the Providence Community Care Center: Work with Providence and other community partners to identify an appropriate location for the proposed Community Care Center that is intended to offer restroom facilities during their hours of operation; and
3) Develop a Six Month Pilot Project - Multi-Site Port-a-Potties: Direct staff to develop a six-month pilot project to provide up to three port-a-potties with attractive enclosures located on City property in key locations to serve as over-night restrooms. Project design to include a) ADA accessible units in attractive enclosures; b) viable means of monitoring for appropriate use; c) evaluation tools to measure effectiveness.
4) Seek funding from Thurston County Public Health to support the response to a public health program.
While the provision of one or more public restroom options will make downtown more welcoming by reducing the negative impact of human waste downtown, there will likely continue to be a problem with human waste in alcoves, doorways and alleys. This need will still need to be addressed through some other means such as a contract extension with Ambassador Program’s Clean Team.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
All neighborhoods, community members and visitors in the downtown core have an interest in a safe and welcoming downtown that offers public restrooms.
Options:
A) Do nothing
B) Consider a single-option approach as a six-month pilot project and evaluate
C) Consider a three site option approach as a six month pilot project and evaluate
Financial Impact:
Costs are all contingent upon options identified in Attachment #3. The three site option using porta potties and walking security patrol has an estimated cost of $85,000 for six months.