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12 Staff Report.Downtown Restroom Feasibility Report Update PREPARED BY: Marina Chislett Environmental Programs Specialist Reviewed by: Interim Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Director of Parks and Public Works 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 09/17/2024 ITEM NO: 12 DATE: September 12, 2024 TO: Mayor and Town Council FROM: Katy Nomura, Interim Town Manager SUBJECT: Receive an Update on the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) and Provide Direction to Town Staff RECOMMENDATION: Receive an Update on the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) and Provide Direction to Town Staff. BACKGROUND: Per the direction of Town Council, funding for the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) was provided in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/2024 Capital Budget. The purpose of this project is to analyze locations for a public restroom facility in the Downtown. On May 7, 2024, Town staff presented the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study to Town Council1 (Item 14). This study evaluated potential sites for consideration for a new downtown restroom facility. The primary factors for site selection included: proximity and value to the downtown area, financial efficiency, utility adjacency, accessibility, safety, and flexibility. From these criteria, the consultant assessed four potential sites (some with various options for placement) for consideration for the new restroom facility: • Site 1: Northwest corner of Town Plaza Park • Site 2: Southeast corner of Parking Lot #6 (West Main Street & Victory Lane) • Site 3: North edge of Parking Lot #5 (Elm Street) • Site 4: South edge of Parking Lot #5 (West Main Street) 1 Restroom Report May 2024: https://meetings.municode.com/adaHtmlDocument/index?cc=LOSGATOS&me=7f5087ff8d7a4bffa21c7f33e58fa2d e&ip=True PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: Receive an Update on the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) and Provide Direction to Town Staff DATE: September 12, 2024 After consideration of the four sites, Town Council identified Site 1 (Options 1 and 2) and Site 4 (Option 1) as being the most optimal locations for a new downtown restroom facility. Site 1, Option 1 is in Plaza Park at the location of a raised planter bed along South Santa Cruz Avenue near Main Street. Site 1, Option 2 is in Plaza Park adjacent to the existing bus shelter. Site 4, Option 1 is at the south end of Parking Lot 5, across the street from Plaza Park. Town staff was directed to continue to review the options, review safety concerns with the Police Department and consider whether Site 4 is visible enough. Figure 1. Site 1: Northwest corner of Plaza Park Figure 2. Site 4: South edge of Parking Lot #5 PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: Receive an Update on the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) and Provide Direction to Town Staff DATE: September 12, 2024 DISCUSSION: Town staff met with the Police Department in the field to evaluate both locations on June 10, 2024. After a thorough evaluation of both sites, the Police Department recommends a new restroom facility at Site 1 Option 1 or Option 2. Site 4 was not recommended for the following reasons: • The addition of a new restroom facility will block a major thoroughfare through a highly trafficked area resulting in bottlenecking at the southside of Parking Lot #5. • There are concerns about crime being tucked away in a parking lot and not in the immediate line of site. • Potential odors, vandalism, or nefarious behavior, should that occur, could negatively impact the surrounding businesses that would be within close proximity of the new restroom facility. Site 1, Option 2 is the current location for the temporary downtown restroom facility. The single-occupancy porta potty was installed on August 31, 2023. Due to heavy usage, servicing of this facility was increased from two times per week to three times per week in February 2024. Additional temporary facilities or servicing are required to accommodate events at Plaza Park. Aside from special events, the temporary facility continues to require monitoring and follow-up to ensure proper servicing. Town staff recommends a two single-occupant restroom facility that is serviced daily on the same schedule as other Town restroom facilities to ensure it is providing the most civic value to the community. CONCLUSION: After evaluation with the Police Department of the locations identified by Town Council, and feedback from staff regarding current usage and maintenance of the temporary restroom facility, staff recommends a two single-occupant restroom facility at Plaza Park at the location of the existing porta potty (Site 1, Option 2) . This would provide the most civic value to the community with consideration to space and size limitations as well as usage and maintenance needs. If the Town Council wishes to move forward, it should direct staff to include the project for consideration in the upcoming Capital Improvement Program. FISCAL IMPACT: This feasibility study was allocated $25,000 (CIP No. 821-2011) and the funding has been expended. There is no current funding allocation for the design of a permanent restroom. Staff PAGE 4 OF 4 SUBJECT: Receive an Update on the Downtown Restroom Feasibility Study (CIP No. 821-2011) and Provide Direction to Town Staff DATE: September 12, 2024 expects design and permitting costs of approximately $100,000. Construction may range from $450,000 to $550,000. Following construction of this new building, there will be an operating budget impact to Parks and Public Works to manage and maintain the structure. The Facilities Team would manage the building and day to day cleaning would require additional contract services for the janitorial vendor. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project defined under CEQA.