December 19, 2012

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: Milton Dohoney, Jr., City Manager

Subject: ACCESSIBILITY OF DOWNTOWN PUBLIC RESTROOMS

Reference Document #201201385 The City Council at its session on October 23, 2012 referred the following item for report.

MOTION, dated 10/08/2012 submitted by Councilmembers Seelbach, Simpson, Quinlivan, Young, Sittenfeld, Smitherman and Vice Mayor Qualls, WE MOVE that the Administration report on the feasibility and costs related to the installation of several 24-hour public restroom facilities in and around Downtown Cincinnati similar to the "Portland Loo" for the purpose of providing environmentally friendly, clean and safe restroom facilities for the betterment of public health in our City. The Administration should also look at other ways to increase options for restrooms in the downtown area including expanded hours at various City-owned facilities (Fountain Square, etc.).(STATEMENT ATTACHED).

The Administration has assessed the availability of public restrooms and the core issues faced by ourselves and other municipalities. The Administration also evaluated the feasibility of implementing strategically placed freestanding restrooms around the City. If appropriately funded, a number of viable options exist that would increase the accessibility of public restroom facilities.

Expanded Hours for City Owned Facilities

Based on our experience and research of other cities, the hours of access to public restrooms in heated facilities and buildings are limited for the safety of users and security of the building. This has been reaffirmed by the constant damage and vandalism experienced at the Fountain Square public restrooms. In addition to vandalism, standard public restrooms throughout the area often located in parks have been the center of illicit activities that thereby render them unused for their intended purpose. Extending hours of use at existing facilities would require additional staffing to deter vandalism and other illegal activities during those extended hours. The success of the Portland Loo can be attributed to its design which eliminates many of the problems associated with previous designs. Freestanding Public Restrooms in Portland Several cities have installed freestanding public restrooms in their urban core with varied success. Common problems include lack of security and constant vandalism. Portland, Oregon has successfully developed and placed several Portland Loos. These freestanding facilities address the major negative issues associated with public restrooms. The City of Portland installed its first unit in 2008 and currently has six units in service around their downtown core area over a four year period. Their experience has been positive and they are pleased with the Loo’s performance and citizen response. Portland has contracted with a local non-profit organization to provide janitorial/cleaning services a minimum of twice daily which includes the provision of soap and paper supplies, a weekly power wash, and minor maintenance and repairs for a current annual cost of $14,500 per unit. Sturdy

construction and few moving parts have reduced the need for maintenance and repairs. The Loo is fabricated from stainless steel with a protective coating to repel graffiti and the opportunity for advertising is included in the design. Portland’s model appears to have been designed to avoid many of the problems caused by abuse and misuse that had been experienced by previous cities which had undertaken comparable programs. Some of the key design elements include the following:

• No running water inside, only a spigot on the outside that pours cold water.

• No mirrors which tend to get smashed.

• Bars at the top and bottom of the structure which enable police to view in near the ground to make sure there’s no more than one set of feet inside. The openings also help sounds flow freely.

• A graffiti-proof coating.

• Walls and doors made from heavy-gauge stainless steel.

Freestanding Public Restrooms in Cincinnati The purchase price for the Portland Loo ranges from $90,000 to $100,000 per unit, based on quantity. This price does not include:

The cost of shipping.

Site preparation and installation of water and sewer connections. Current rules and regulations for water and sewer connections would need to be reviewed for feasibility of installation and control cost. Currently these costs are estimated at $25,000 to $30,000 per unit.

Cost of maintenance by a third party vendor estimated at $14,500 for twice daily cleaning.

Estimated utility cost of $500 per unit per year for water/sewer.

In addition, some users will misuse and abuse the structure and damage will occur. A repair and replacement budget would have to be determined after a test period at each location.

Recommendation

The Administration does not recommend expanding hours of existing facilities within public buildings due to the costs of associated personnel and repairing damage and vandalism that would likely occur. Freestanding public restrooms would be a more viable option.

The Administration researched potential locations controlled by the City and determined that Findlay Market has an immediate need for a freestanding public restroom. Currently Findlay Market has a need to increase access to public facilities. In addition, Findlay Market’s location on the streetcar loop will only increase the necessity of public restroom facilities. Findlay Market is a prime location to test the system and gauge public reaction.

The Administration is prepared to purchase and install a freestanding public restroom in Findlay Market, which would be used for testing a freestanding public restroom program. This program will have an anticipated cost of approximately $15,000 in annual operating expenses and $130,000 in one-time capital expenses. Upon approval of this report, City Council will need to identify offsetting operating and capital expenditure reductions in order to support this service.

CC: Michael Robinson, Director of Public Services