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HomeMy WebLinkAbout0517.093September 30# 1993 THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL Palo Alto, California Attention: policy and services Committee nA'rUB JIlIPORr ON PROVISZOII OF PtIBLIC llEBrtlOONS III JOBllBOII PAlU< AND 'rIIII DO'nITOWN lUU!A. Members of the Council: a.port. in Br:i,ef On May 24, 1993, Council directed staff to investigate the possibility of providing public restroorus at the Dr. Edith Johnson Park and/or the University Avenue downtown area. This report is to provide an update on progress made to .... ·ard completion of the assignment. Sta~f intends to submit a full report to the policy and Services Committee in November 1993. Bacltqr0JlP4 In March 1993, Johnson Park neighborhood residents approached the Council to request that restrooms be installed at Johnson Park. Tbey expressed concerns regarding park users utilizing front yards and. apartment building stairways as r&strooms. At that time, Council directed staff to install a portable restroom facility at Johnson Park on a six-month trial basis. Prior to the actual installation, several other Johnson Park neighbors expressed opposition to the plan. Council re-directed staff to stUdy the issue, broadening the scope of the assignment to include investigation of issues relating to public res"*:room provision in the downtown area, as ~ell as at Johnson Park. Discus.ioD Despite the attempt to link the need for restrooms at Johnson Park with the greater issues of restrocms in the downtown area, stafr has idE:!ntified very distinct differences between the two areas, their needs, and the possible impact of installing such facilities. If restroo~s were placed within a block or two of Johnson Park, it would be peripherally related to the downtown are~, but a facility at any other downtown location would not address Johnson Park concerns. Through conversations with downtoW11 merchants, staff has become aware of concerns that there may be a possible increase in service levels to the homeless popu13tion if downtown rest rooms CXR: 517: 93 "-.'. <~,,~, -?-~'''-' , Page Two were installed~ Thi~ may require a policy decision to be made by Council. This report attempts to address Johnson Park, downtown restrooms, and any related homeless issues separate!~·. Any options recommended by staff would be on a temporary trial basis. start conducted a ~ail survey of Johnson park neighborhood residents and convened a neighborhood meeting to gather further input rel~ting to the neighborhood concerns~ Of the 1300 surveys mailed out, 86 residents responded i~ favor of providinq a restroom tacility in Johnson Park, and 117 residents responded in opposi­ tion~ Residents who oppose placing a restroom i~ the ~eighborhood park expressE:d concern that it may attract out-of-neighborhood users, nonresidents and the homeless. Host who attended the neiqhborhOOd meetinq aqre~d that a facility placed elsewhere, :but near the park, would alleviate the problems cited and they are supportive concept • restroom help t-:. of that . Also emerging from the meetinq was a strongly held opinion :by the residents that much of the park problem results tro)l! out-of­ neighborhood users who visit the park to play basketball~ All the attendees at the neighborhood meeting urged removal of the basketball court, possibly relocating it to El camino Park, as an acceptable alternative that might resolve the majority of neighborhood concerns. staff is explorinq the following options to address concerns regarding restrooms at Johnson Park: 1) Installation of restroom facilities at Johnsen Park, 2) Installation of restroom facilities at Cogswell Plaza with directional signage at Johnson Park, 3) Expansion of thE: downtown ranger patrol to include Johnson Park during peak use periods, including weekend and summer hours; 4) Removal of the Johnson Park basketball standard and possible relocation to El camino Park~ DoWDtOVP Area staff has contactea the cities of Berkeley, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Mountain View, to determine what they have ~one to address restroom issues in their downtovn ar-eas. All have recently wre.stled with t_hese issues but do not feel they have successfully CHR:517:93 00' o Page Three r6so1ved them. Berkeley and San Francisco have significant rest­ room problems that they feel are related to the homeless4 This is also true of Santa cruz, but to a lesser degree. San Francisco's use of self-contained, self-cleaning restrooms (French tOl lets) was explored by staff but quickly discarded as a viable option. These units are not available for purchase, are too expensive to lease ($39,000 annually), end are not currently available from the sole united states distributor. Cammon findings reported by other cities include: 1) Downtown restrooms can attract the homeless and may be a magnet for undesirable and/or illegal activity. This frequently causes shoppers and residents to be intimidated and to avoid using the facilities, and perhaps the do~nto~n area as wella 2) Permanent restrooms are e'Apens i Ye and req1.ii re a full-time attendant to conduct frequent inspections and cleani.n9. to prevent deplorable sanitary conditions. Without superv~s~on~ facilities are subject to use for drug dealing and/or other criminal activity. 3) Restroom facilities in downtown areas have not al~ays solved the problems they were installed to prevent. Stairways, sidewalks and alleys continue to be used as rest rooms in the cities surveyed. After gathering this information, staff met .... ith Senior Center staff, the senior Coordinatinq council, the Downtown Marketing Committee, and the Chamber of Commerce a Staff at the Senior Center expressed concerns regarding the existing use and abuse of their facility. They consider their situation '"reasonably severe". Senio~ center staff and the Senior Coordinating Council expressed their support of a clean, attractiVe ~estroom facility in Cogswell Plaza a Representatives from the downtown 3.rea, while acknowledging the current lack of accessible puhlic restrooms, expressad concern that restroom facilities vill attract, and be monopolized by. the homeless population, and that downtown shoppers will choose not to use them. Downtown representatives also expressed concern about where rest­ rooms are placea and the visual impact they may have upon their businesses and the downtown area in genera.L Many· merchants favor use of facilities (new or existing) at City Hall or placement in sheltered areas adjacent to parking lots. Cogswell Plaza has not emerged as a favored location. CMR:517:93 .. Page Four A ~urvey of downtown merchants and property o«ners is unde~ay, and a meeting is scheduled for October 20 for further disc~ssion of this issue. Staff feels it is impo~ant that the merchants and property owners be allowed the cpportunity to give ~.np~t and suggestions as to how this issue should be resolved. Based upon information gathered to date, emerqed for the downtown area. Those under the following: several options have consideration include 1) Installation of a restroom facility at Cogswell Plaza; 2) Installation of one or more restroom facilities at downtown parking lots; 3) Increased availability of existin9 City restroom facilities at ti..e Civic Center and Downtown Library. There are arguments have drawbacks that attachment nAN~ appropriate signage included. for and against any of these options and all require careful consideration, as outlined in Should downtown rest rooms be recommended, to direct shoppers to their location would be A co1lective concern expressed by Johnson Park residents, downto~n merchants and senior center staff is that proviSion of restrooms at any location in the dO\il1town area will be monopolized by. and become a gathering place for, the homeless. There is a general opinion that the provision of rest rooms for the homeless is an issue that needs to be addressed~ but little consensus as to how or where they should be provided, or whether they should be provided at all. Staff has met wit!], representatives from the Urban Ministry for their input. Any decision to install restrooms in the downtown area will likely impact service levels to the homeless and result in the need for policy decisions by Council as to what these service levels should be. The Urban Ministry has suggested the City consider developing a homeless service center and expressed interest in administering its operation. One other option under consideration is to expand the hours that rest rooms at El Camino Park are open. This would be practical only with regular supervision and cleaning. C!IR:517:93 C;°Aclgw:1OP Several options have emerqed for conside~aticn in response to the nead for public restrooms in Palo Alto. Because of the potential impact upon neiqhbors, merchants, and downtown property owners, additional time is needed to involve them in this process. It is anticipated tl'~at any recommendation to install restrooms would be on a trial basis, utilizing temporary facilities:. As regular cleaning and supervision are imperative. those associated costs 'Would be consldered. statt will submit a final report to the Policy and services Committee in November 1993. Respectfully submitted, AU)d~ Dan Will iams Director of Rec~eation ~--'l c.~ 0~K~ Paul Th.ltgen Director~ Community Services ~~(\\ ity i:-:t~r V C!!R: 517:93 - AftAClDlBtI'l' I'A'I POSSIBlB OOWRTOWW RB8~ROO~ FACILITIB8 LOCATIOII PROS COli' Cogswell Plaza convenient location, ea~a af May serve as a magnet ~nd gathering installation. place for homeless_ Proximity to Johnson P~rk. Shoppers may not wish to use. . seniors are supportive. Visual impact upon nejqhboring businesses. Downtown Parking Lots convenient location, ease of Reduced pa_'t"kinq space and associated including: installation. revenue, Lot .7 at K.ipling and Less visual impact upon M~y co~promise future de~elopment at Lytton neighbors. the site. , , Lot P or R on Emerson MUst have approval of Parktng Assessment District. '\ Not as visual to users or easy to supervise. May attract undesirable activity and , -'- reduce USe by shoppers. Utilize existing Facilities exist_ May increase use by homeless. facilities Le, Downtown , I Library Merchants have suqqeated this May not addreGS Johnson Park issue. Civic center option4 El camino Park May result in "traahin9", increased vandalism and gr.effit,i. Will require cost.ly and intense supervision. Limited t.o hours facilitien currently are open. -- Install self~·contalned Attractive Not currently available trom sole selt-cleaning units u.s. distributor. (French Toilets). Self Cleaning Available tor lease, not purchase, Ease of installation due to high level of technical expertise required to maintain. Very exponsive--$l9,OOO/year to leas6, if ;, id when available. - Install facilities Little impact upon neighbors. Does not serve needs of downtown adjacent or close to shoppers or Johnson Park neighbors. 41. Mitchell Lane/El Camino, Area i9 used by and familiar to or extend open houra of homeless. Serves homeless only. Is this existing facilities. Council's direction? , " o :,<' j " '.