High Tide in Downtown Olympia

High Tide in Downtown Olympia

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Above: Areas of downtown Olympia experienced minor flooding due to a high tide in Budd Inlet and low atmospheric pressure early Thursday morning. Favorable weather conditions created a tide lower than expected, but still put some infrastructure under corrosive sea water. This view looking southwest was taken about 6:58 a.m. from Percival Landing behind the Oyster House restaurant near Sylvester Street. 

High Tide a Dry Run for Sea Level Rise

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Starting at about 5:00 a.m., City of Olympia's Rich Hoey, director of public works, and Andy Haub, director of water resources, and staff were busy monitoring a potential 18 foot tide in Budd Inlet and flooding in downtown Olympia early Thursday morning.

Luckily, favorable weather conditions created a tide lower than expected, and flooding was relatively minor.

“It’s helpful that it’s not raining. It’s great for the crews to see how this works so they can get ready for the real thing...imagine six more inches on top of this....” said Haub, near the Oyster House restaurant on Sylvester Street at 6:46 a.m. 

Haub said the tide peaked at about 17.4 feet and the city had 17 people, a mix of stormwater operations and transportation staff, assisting in the field. 

Staff monitored the areas of 4th, 5th, and State Avenues between Columbia Street and the 4th Avenue bridge, Columbia Street between B and Corky Avenues by Budd Bay Cafe, and Thurston Avenue between Jefferson and Franklin Streets. 

There was no flooding on Water Street or at Capitol Lake as staff monitored the city’s stormwater shut off valve and pump located near the Waterstreet Café. 

Haub gets excited about atmospheric pressure dynamics and says he's going to look into putting a tide gauge near “The Kiss” statue on Percival Landing with an educational sign that explains how it all works.

“Tomorrow and future days look fine - barometric pressure is back up and tides are on the downward cycle,” said Haub on Thursday afternoon.

The Port of Olympia reported that it did not experience any backups or flooding. 

“Staff drove around and checked early this morning and have been on the property during the day,” said Port of Olympia communications and public affairs manager Kathleen White.

Two staff members of the LOTT Clean Water Alliance were seen out on bicycles checking for potential issues around or near the treatment plant and the Water Street pump station.  

“We did have some minimal overflow in the street in front of our building this morning, but nothing major. We have seen flooding there before….We haven’t had any problems with the treatment plant itself flooding as a result of these high tides. High tides combined with major storm events (do) put pressure on the outfall, causing our pumps to work harder than normal,” said LOTT community relations and environmental policy director Kara Fowler.

Downtown Flooding - a Dry Run for Sea Level Rise

There are 112 known outfalls to Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet within the city limits. An outfall is the place where a river, drain, or sewer empties into the sea, a river, or a lake.

Of those piped outfalls, 36 are susceptible to backflow flooding. Twenty are city owned, nine around Capitol Lake are owned by Washington State, five are owned by the Port of Olympia, and two are privately owned, one near Bayview and one behind the Oyster House.

Above: Flooding creeps up Sylvester Street on Thursday morning looking south toward  the nine story Capital Center Building and the state Capitol Building. The Oyster House is on the left.

In January 2015, the city, Port of Olympia, and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance provided a coordinated presentation of their concerns and needs to a group of shoreline and coastal planners. Haub recently told Little Hollywood that his infrastructure needs, as he presented them to the group, remain valid:

Near-term Infrastructure (0.25 feet of sea level rise)

Install strategic tide gates, modify drainage system for the Capitol Lake to eliminate need to pump the 20 acre basin,  and investigate the permeability of downtown soils.

Medium-term Infrastructure (0.25 to 0.5 feet of sea level rise)

Modify elevations of Heritage Park, install permanent flood barriers on western shore of peninsula, consolidate peninsula drainage systems, disconnect flood-prone streets from the Moxlie Creek drainage system, and purchase pumps to handle downtown runoff during high tides.

After the sea level rise report presented to the city council on February 9, Little Hollywood asked Haub about Capitol Lake's stormwater system.  

“....As we learn more...we understand that the lake currently serves an important flood management function. However, the system and the topography around the lake could readily be altered to accommodate either a future estuary or lake. Sea rise will require change, regardless of the lake’s future....Our concern is that the long term projection for sea rise continues to increase, which will affect our infrastructure response.” 

He also said Percival Landing is about a foot too low to accommodate a very high tide or sea level rise.

“We expect the area around the southern portion of Percival Landing to over-top at 19 feet. The high tide on December 17, 2012 was a 17.6 foot tide. The estimate for a 100-year tide event under current conditions is 18 to 18.4 feet. When we rebuild it, we will need to evaluate the appropriate height and then how to incrementally increase it further as needed. That will be part of the design process. There are numerous options for combining flood barriers with public use and aesthetics…up to a point,” he said.

Above: By 7:10 a.m. Thursday morning, the tide was obviously receding, as indicated by this visible high water mark at Percival Landing.

For more photos and information and about downtown flooding, sea level rise, the Public Works report on sea level rise to city councilmembers on February 9, past high tide events, Capitol Lake, the valves that save a portion of downtown from flooding, the Oyster House, Percival Landing and more, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search engine.

Olympia Sea Level Rise Report: An Undeniable Challenge

Olympia Sea Level Rise Report: An Undeniable Challenge

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Above: City of Olympia staff briefed city councilmembers on the implications of sea level rise in downtown Olympia at a study session on Tuesday evening. With a four foot sea level rise, portions of West Bay, all the way to south of Union Street, and the I-5 interchange near Plum and Henderson will be inundated.

Councilmember Gilman Questions Saving Downtown

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A brutal, sobering report on the implications of sea level rise in downtown Olympia was delivered to Olympia city councilmembers by staff at a study session Tuesday evening. 

Mayor Cheryl Selby and Councilmember Jeannine Roe were excused from the study session and council meeting.

Councilmembers asked questions after the half hour report, but were mostly faced with the undeniable, daunting fact that downtown Olympia is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and has little time to protect itself.

“This year’s work feels a little bit different from past years….We are increasingly concerned and we’re suggesting a more heightened sense of urgency in our response to this dynamic….We feel we are currently vulnerable to flooding downtown and we suggest that the long term implications for what we’ve reported to you are higher than what we’ve reported to you in the past,” said City of Olympia water resources director Andy Haub.

Since the last Ice Age, sea levels have risen more than 400 feet. This process has occurred in spurts, and at times, has risen more than one foot per decade, most likely the result of ice sheets melting. Over the past 5,000 – 7,000 years, sea levels have been stable. The Industrial Age and the use of fossil fuels have accelerated climate change, and in the last 20 years, the rate of sea level rise has nearly doubled that of the previous 100 years.

“….We should develop a vision and a plan to begin adapting to sea level rise sooner than later….We can’t go it alone and we’re only going to be as strong as the weakest link in our defense,” said Eric Christensen, City of Olympia water resources planning and engineering manager.

Staff urged active community engagement, and engineering and financial partnerships with the State of Washington, the Department of Enterprise Services, the Department of Natural Resources, the Port of Olympia, LOTT Clean Water Alliance and the Squaxin Tribe.

Sea level rise information was derived from the UW Climate Impact group and the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC). The last IPCC report was produced in 2013, however, new information is released on a weekly basis.

According to the IPCC, sea level rise is projected to occur at a rate of 11 to 38 inches by the end of the century. These are global averages, and Christiansen said Olympia’s tides come in 1.28 times higher than Seattle’s.

Adding to sea level rise concerns, according to data via the Washington State Reference Network which monitors land movement, downtown Olympia is subsiding nine tenths of an inch per decade. Monitoring stations are affixed on regional stations throughout the state, and one is located on top of Olympia city hall.

“We have acted very responsibly to date, and we’re in a very admirable position with our knowledge of both Budd Inlet and downtown,” said Haub, who urged that the city create codes for minimum floor elevations for new construction to protect downtown assets. He hopes to propose those this year.

Staff showed several scenarios to illustrate the impacts of sea level rise and climate change in Olympia’s downtown combined with the “nuisance flooding” that already occurs as a result of tidal events. The frequency of this flooding would increase.

Along with a one foot sea level rise, flooding would occur 30 times a year; two feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 160 times a year, and four feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 440 times a year, which is more than once a day.

With a four foot sea level rise, portions of West Bay, all the way south of Union Street,  and the I-5 interchange near Plum and Henderson will be inundated.

Above: High tides of 17.6 feet and low atmospheric pressure created a flooding situation in downtown Olympia on Sylvester Street adjacent to the Oyster House in December 2012.  

The City of Olympia has acknowledged and responded to sea level rise concerns since 1990. Since 2007, staff has been providing city council with annual updates on current climate change and sea level rise research, proposed work plans for addressing sea level rise, and reporting on their accomplishments regarding those plans.

The city set a policy in 2010 to protect downtown and sea level rise is reflected in goals and policies of the city’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan.

Immediately following the report, newly appointed Councilmember Clark Gilman asked how the decision was made to protect downtown and questioned the assumption that it should be saved.

“Looking at the two foot map (indicating sea level rise), you start to see the historical (shoreline)…It’s an interesting choice… To me, downtown is a collection of businesses and public spaces and it could be anywhere within the city limits….My initial gut (reaction) is that, I would much rather invest those resources in creating a more…resilient economy than trying to stop the floodwaters,” he said.

City manager Steve Hall said that the city made its commitment to protect downtown, rather than abandon it, in 2010, adding that a half billion dollars of investments are downtown, most notably the regional LOTT Clean Water Alliance wastewater treatment system.

Councilmember Jessica Bateman asked about Capitol Lake and how its reverting back to an estuary would impact downtown. She also asked about local and regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Without the dam, we would currently flood more frequently….the dam definitely helps control flooding downtown,” said Christiansen. He suggested that Heritage Park could be raised to prevent flooding downtown.

Rich Hoey, City of Olympia public works director, said that there will be study session scheduled in July regarding a plan to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next three years. The city adopted an ambitious plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions of 80 percent by 2050.

“Quite frankly, we’re going to need regulatory help from higher levels of government to get there….” said Hoey.

Councilmember Jim Cooper said he would like to see the city produce a guidebook of simple adaptations and technical assistance for businesses. He also expressed a desire for downtown buildings to accommodate an eight foot sea level rise, and had concerns regarding the implications of contamination and the ability for underground utilities to deal with sea water inundation.

Cooper also requested that staff model what Olympia would look like if Moxlie Creek were daylighted, and asked if that would help stormwater holding capacity as a functioning estuary. 

Staff said they would look at that scenario. Moxlie Creek is currently 15 – 20 feet below ground, and runs more than a mile through downtown Olympia from Watershed Park to East Bay.

“An incremental adaption, initially preparing for a one to two foot sea level rise - whatever we do - should build the foundation for, and not preclude measures to address four to eight feet of sea level rise,” said Christensen.

Above: The city has 36 stormwater outfalls connected to Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake that are susceptible to backflow flooding. City staff and state Department of Enterprise Services staff prepare for more flooding the afternoon of December 10, 2015 at Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. Earlier, tides came in 30 inches higher than predicted and caught staff off guard. Water came to within four inches of Olympia Supply's doors. With climate change, El Nino events will become greater in magnitude and flooding will increase in frequency. 

Other planning ideas included elevating the grade of Heritage Park and some roadways, placing planter boxes in strategic locations, and the building flood walls or gates that automatically rise when needed.  A barrier across a waterway, called a barrage, is being used in Venice, Singapore, on the Thames River in England, and the Netherlands.

The city plans to complete ongoing, current capital facility projects, work with the city’s Utility Advisory Committee to develop a multi-year sea level rise response plan, and coordinate its efforts with the council’s Land Use Committee.

Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones admitted that while progress has been made on data, local agencies do not have the capacity to do the kind of work that needs to be done on this issue.

Coming back around to Councilmember Gilman’s suggestion about abandoning downtown, Jones said the scenario of not making all the investments to protect downtown needs to be on the table and weighed into the overall conversation.

“That alternative is there and it should be respected.”

For past City of Olympia sea level rise reports and high tide events, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

Rhenda Strub Announces Candidacy for State Representative

Rhenda Strub Announces Candidacy for State Representative

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Above: Rhenda Iris Strub at the Washington State Capitol Building on Sunday. Strub, a former Olympia city councilmember, has announced her candidacy for Washington State Representative, 22nd District, Position #1.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

In the strange and complicated web of local politics, former Olympia city councilmember Rhenda Iris Strub is on a journey and has announced her candidacy for Washington State Representative, 22nd District, Position #1. 

The position is being vacated by current State Representative Chris Reykdal, who is pursuing the position of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Strub served on the Olympia City Council from 2008-2011.

Strub arrived in Olympia from South Dakota in 2002, and is married to LOTT Clean Water Alliance executive director Mike Strub. She has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and worked for many years as an engineering consultant specializing in environmental permitting and compliance. She has four children and lives in the southeast Olympia neighborhood.

She is proud of her accomplishments as a councilmember, and in her interview with Little Hollywood on Tuesday, she specifically mentioned her part in the building of a much needed fourth fire station, city hall, the Hands On Children’s Museum, finding a permanent site for the homeless now called Quixote Village, and the creation of a dog park.

Strub ran for a second term against Nathaniel Jones, but lost. The politics at the time were vicious, and for folks who were involved around that time, Strub’s lack of civility toward community members in written and verbal form, often from her position on the dais, was well known.

Strub explained that her behavior was caused, in part, by her grief in the fact that her youngest son was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 2008. He is now a student at South Puget Sound Community College.

“I am who I am. I speak my mind and people either love that about me or hate that about me. It’s probably my most prominent characteristic, that I’m plainspoken. It’s my strength and it’s my weakness. It took me time to learn that, when I did that from behind the microphone, the impact was quadrupled. I did not understand that….” said Strub.

Indeed, during our interview, instead of offering a sound bite or two, or a prepared elevator speech about her candidacy, it first took her 20 minutes to explain her role and unpopular vote involving a proposed height rezone of the isthmus area in downtown Olympia in 2008-09. 

Then, Strub struggled to define why she is running for state representative, but said she wants to use her training in science to help inform decisions about the environment and other issues.

As state representative, Strub said her number one priority is to fix the state budget.

“We need to raise taxes, we need an income tax, and I think the wealthy people in this state need to pay more to support the infrastructure and the public employees in this state because nobody got wealthy or stayed wealthy by themselves,” said Strub.

Asked how she will specifically represent the citizens of Thurston County, Strub said that public employees are her largest constituency.

“….Public employees have been mistreated. For eight years, Governor Gregoire balanced the budget on their backs. They took furloughs, they lost pay raises, they paid more for health insurance, and they had to work harder and harder and harder. I think we owe them,” she said.

As a city councilmember, Strub strongly supported keeping Capitol Lake a lake, and supported bills to require the state to manage it as a lake, and not convert it to an estuary. Asked about how she feels about the issue now, Strub said she is reevaluating her position.

“Now I’m intrigued by the idea of an estuary. I’d say my strongest position is, I want the state to do something but they haven’t done a thing.” Strub says she looks forward to the state Department of Enterprise Service’s analysis and recommendation based on science so a final decision can be made.

Regarding the isthmus and the nine story Capitol Center Building, also known as the Mistake on the Lake, Strub said she was in favor as a councilmember for the city to buy and destroy the nine story building, and still holds that opinion.

Strub lamented that the Legislature has taken money from the Public Works Trust Fund, loan money critical to local governments, and the effect of Tim Eyman initiatives.

“The Legislature has an obligation to get out of the way of local governments so local governments can determine their own destiny – it’s the least the state can do after taking away so many revenue streams….”

Strub said she was supportive of a statewide minimum wage increase.

“I’ll carry petitions with me when I doorbell to get that on the ballot.”

Laurie Dolan, former policy director to Governor Christine Gregoire, announced her candidacy for the same position in September 2015, and has garnered a long list of endorsers, including Gregoire. She currently has over $22,000 in the bank, according to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC).

Strub acknowledged that she is concerned about Dolan’s head start.

“It’s daunting. She has an impressive list of advisors. I have broad grassroots experience and connected to this community in a hands-on way. I was on the (Thurston County) Planning Commission, doorbelled the city twice, and have constituents at every level. I understand this community in a way only someone who has served in local government can….”

When asked, Strub mentioned several community members who are supporting her campaign, such as Lacey city councilmember Jeff Gadman, former state representative Brendan Williams, Thurston County Democratic state chairwoman Debby Pattin, and Mike Simmons, President of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 468.

Isthmus Issues Not Too Long Ago

The area of the isthmus in downtown Olympia is still an issue now, but a particular land use case fraught with emotion about eight years ago arose when an Urban Waterfront Rezone and Height amendment to the Comprehensive Plan was under consideration and would be approved by the Olympia city council.

If approved, height increases in that area would increase from 35 feet, and allow buildings on the isthmus of up to 90 feet.

Tri Vo, and his development company, Triway Enterprises, needed the rezone, and declared his intention to build five and seven story buildings, which would include shops and 141 condominiums that, at that time, were proposed to sell for $800,000 to $1 million.

The proposed rezone also included the area occupied by Traditions Fair Trade and other local businesses. The Capitol Center Building, which stands at 108 feet, was not part of Tri Vo’s desires. 

The issue inspired candidates to run for city council, dominated campaign themes and conversations, and strained community relations and personal relationships.

The city’s planning commission held hearings on the proposed rezone amendment. Organizations like Friends of the Waterfront organized community opposition. The Olympia Capitol Park Foundation was formed. The South Puget Environmental Education Clearinghouse (SPEECH) held a timely, popular public forum about the issue.

Despite massive community opposition, in December 2008, five of the seven councilmembers voted for the rezone, including Strub. At different times in the process, Councilmember Strub also voted against it, but the damage was done. Strub lost her election in 2010 to Nathaniel Jones.

The final outcome? At their first meeting on January 5, 2010, in a democratically choreographed coup of sorts, newly elected councilmembers Stephen Buxbaum, Karen Rogers, and Jeannine Roe led the effort to begin reversing the efforts of the previous council.

With three stunning motions, which all passed, the newly reconstituted council accomplished more for many citizen activists in one meeting than in a whole year of trying to work with the previous council on isthmus-related issues and Triway Enterprises eventually went away.

“It’s democracy at its best, isn’t it? This should give everyone hope that the impossible is possible,” said Bonnie Jacobs of Friends of the Waterfront, after the January 5, 2010 meeting.

Strub Makes Amends and Looks Forward

Strub’s campaign is being managed by a local agency, the Percival Consulting Group, which includes Joe Hyer and Danielle Westbrook.

Hyer was on the council at the same time as Strub, and was part of the effort to oust her from the council. Later, Hyer had his own issues to deal with, and resigned in early 2010. He was replaced by Steve Langer.

Although Strub did not leave the council as friends with Hyer, the two have worked on personal reconciliation issues, and Hyer recently accepted Strub as a client because he considers her to be a viable candidate.

 

The position of Washington State Representative for the 22nd District, Position #2 is being sought by candidates Beth Doglio and Dylan Carlson, who both announced their intentions in October 2015. Strub said she picked state representative position #1 because she likes Doglio and Carlson very much.

“They have both been involved in community organizing a very long time and for causes I support.” When asked, Strub said she has endorsed Carlson because he was her campaign manager the first time she ran for city council.

Westbrook serves as treasurer for Doglio’s campaign, while Hyer is Carlson’s campaign treasurer.

Doglio has amassed a long list of endorsers and nearly $37,000 in the bank. Carlson has not yet listed endorsers on his website, and has nearly $18,000, according to the PDC. The position is being vacated by Representative Sam Hunt, who is pursuing the Senate position currently held by Senator Karen Fraser, who is pursuing the position of Lieutenant Governor.

At the close of our interview, Strub acknowledged, “I am well aware of my history. Clearly there’s been tension. My ability to move through that is an important part of whether or not I will make a good public servant.”

The issues about the isthmus, Triway Enterprises, and the proposed rezone is well documented by Little Hollywood, starting in 2009. To read more about the history of the isthmus area, the proposed height rezone, Triway Enterprises, and some of Strub’s involvement, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and use the search button to type in key words.

Editor's Note: Corrections to position numbers were made shortly after posting this article.

Public Restroom Realities in Olympia: Challenges to a Human Need, a Human Right

Public Restroom Realities in Olympia: Challenges to a Human Need, a Human Right

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Above: The homeless stay near a public restroom on Percival Landing, on Sylvester Street, in downtown Olympia. The state Capitol Building is in the distance. The fencing is around the Oyster House restaurant, which burned down in July 2013.

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Public restroom closures at night in Olympia dramatically impact the downtown business community, and the human rights of the homeless, and other members of the community simply needing to perform a regular function: peeing and pooping.

On Christmas night, I helped Crazy Faith Ministries feed a couple hundred people a wonderful feast under several tents in downtown Olympia. I ate a great meal and had pie and coffee too. And then, while enjoying the camaraderie for an hour or so, getting to know a couple of guys at my table, I realized I had to go to the bathroom.

Being Christmas night about 7:30 p.m., everything was closed.  The thought of how privileged and lucky I was to have a home to go to suddenly struck me as I left, just to go to the bathroom.

For street people, every night is a Christmas night with nowhere to poop or pee. Sure, on most nights, up to a certain time, some local businesses are open and may let some people come in to use the restroom, but many others don’t. Let’s face it, for many restaurants and businesses, the invitation is only open to those whose appearance is somewhat tidy.

And after regular business hours, a whole lot of street people have no other choice but to go wherever they can find a place.  And that’s usually in an alley or some bushes.

Public downtown restrooms, open from about 8:00 a.m. to dusk, are located at Intercity Transit, Heritage Park, Percival Landing, Marathon Park, the Olympia Center, the Farmer’s Market, East Bay near the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, and the Olympia Timberland Library. All locked at night.

The gate to West Bay Rotary Park is locked, but even if you sneak around it, the porta-potty located on that site is locked.

So, out of the whole litany of players working to make downtown a happier, safer, cleaner, more comfortable place for all, where is the accountability and responsibility for basic, 24/7 public restroom availability in the city, county, Parking and Business Improvement Area, or Olympia Downtown Association’s current list of priorities?

People need to go to the bathroom, every day and every night, like, now.

Downtown Ambassador Program Report

Rob Richards is the program manager for the Capital Recovery Center (CRC), a community mental health organization. Richards runs the Downtown Ambassador Program, which is a result of a contract between the City and CRC to provide the services it provides.

Richards says there was some discussion at the council level in 2013 about restrooms, but it dissipated pretty quickly as that issue was trumped by other priorities.

Their program statistics are impressive. In their January report, the Clean Team collected 91 bags of trash, 26 anti-social deposits, i.e. feces, cleaned up 446 incidents of graffiti, 339 stickers and 286 flyers, along with helping downtown community members in other ways.

“Currently we're working with the Washington Center for the Performing Arts staff to kick off a monthly cleanup downtown. The Second Saturday Spruce Up is a small scale volunteer event where we'll partner each month with a different local business or community group to do some basic clean up downtown, picking up litter, graffiti abatement, pulling weeds, etc. The point is to get more folks engaged in our neighborhood, bringing positive energy and action.”

He admits, when asked, that the lack of public restrooms is one of the biggest needs for downtown.

“Public restrooms are one of the biggest needs we have downtown, especially ones that are accessible at night. Presently there's no place to go after about 7:00 p.m. when the public facilities close. I've heard from many, many business and property owners that restrooms should be a priority given that they are dealing with the brunt of the issue in their storefronts and back doors in alleys.”

Richards says he doesn’t know how many porta-potties would be needed to accommodate the needs of the community at night.

“It kind of depends on the size and scope. We need at least one restroom available all night, centrally located in the downtown core.” Asked how one would be secured or monitored at night, Richards says that Pacific Security is one company that is already active downtown at night.

Richards says he’s not a fan of the porta-potty solution though.

“Best practices seem to show us that this isn't one that you can solve with a lighter, cheaper, faster approach. Successful public bathrooms need to be a part of the aesthetic of the neighborhood, a place worth caring about. Porta-potties don't come close to being something that the community will take pride in,” said Richards.

LOTT Clean Water Alliance’s Restroom

Ben McConkey, Public Facilities Coordinator for the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, knows all too well the issues about trying to keep a restroom open 24/7.  The restroom near LOTT on East Bay Drive is only open May through September and for special events.

“Anytime I have opened them up, we have problems…the drug use paraphernalia is overwhelming. I would love to figure out a solution and help our community in this realm…but it’s just too dangerous to keep it open 24/7, especially with so many children around.

“In 2013, we found, roughly, about 90 used needles on our downtown properties...at least 40 of those were East Bay Public Plaza restroom related. We dispose of these properly in sharps containers. We also found a box of 100 brand new needles in the men’s room on the East Bay Public Plaza last summer just ahead of Sand in the City. They were tucked up high on a dividing wall.”

McConkey showed Little Hollywood a few photos, including a picture of a long drip on the wall of the East Bay men’s restroom which McConkey said was tested to be a blood/heroin mix.

McConkey says LOTT is a willing participant in developing solutions. 
 
“Both our safety officer and I are involved with our downtown community through Brian Wilson and the Olympia Downtown Association. Safety is paramount in our projects and activities – and that safety is for everybody using a LOTT facility.  Sadly that means we must limit accessibility to the East Bay Public Plaza restrooms during the time of year when the plaza is getting a lot of use…and when we have a security officer on site. 

“We have provided secure access to the family bathroom, which has a lockable door from the inside, by keeping the door locked and having users contact the security officer for access.  The reason for this has been illicit drug use in the family bathroom. This summer the security officer will step up visits to the men’s and lady’s restrooms in order to deter the drug use in the bathroom complex,” says McConkey.

Heritage Park Restrooms To Be Closed on Water Street

Also in a critical location, the public restrooms at Heritage Park near the intersection of Water Street and Legion Way will be closed from March 3 until mid-May, according to a press release issued earlier this week by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES).

Enterprise Services maintains the state's Capitol Campus, which includes several parks and restroom facilities. An inspection by an engineering firm confirmed the state assessment that the roof is failing and must be replaced. Fencing will be erected around the construction site during the project.

Three porta-potties and a hand-washing station will be placed nearby to serve the public during the closure. One of the porta-potties will be accessible to people with disabilities.

The limited interior work is intended to make the restrooms clean, safe and complaint with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. New fixtures and partitions will be installed.

Jim Erskine, communications consultant for Enterprise Services, told Little Hollywood that the porta-potties will be locked at night at the same time the restrooms are usually locked, at dusk. 

Erskine also said that the restroom's existing toilet fixtures will be changed out to a stainless steel type that is designed so that there is no seat to lift up. Apparently, people are taping used needles to the underside of toilet seats in order to save them for reuse. He said that DES custodial services staff frequently finds needles in the restrooms at Heritage Park.

City Research and the City of Olympia’s Downtown Project
 
The City of Olympia's Downtown Project is based on city council priorities and works in collaboration with a variety of downtown related organizations. Priorities are developed under the city's Land Use and Environment Committee, featuring a nicely written, grade-school type check-off list grouped under the categories of Clean, Safe, Economic Development, and Placemaking.

City staff member Brian Wilson spearheads that project, of which the Downtown Ambassador program is one piece. Wilson has been involved with this issue for a long time.

A couple years ago, Wilson presented detailed restroom options and cost assessments to the city General Government committee. Wilson outlined the costs, with positives and negatives of porta-potties (American Disability Act (ADA) accessible porta-potties are about $340 a month with twice a week cleaning; single sized porta-potties are about $210 a month), expanding hours for existing facilities (over $5,000 a month), and the construction, operation and maintenance of single stall restrooms similar to Portland’s Loo facilities ($50,000 - $100,000 to build and install; $1,215 a month to operate and maintain).

He also looked at current visitor restroom programs in Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Seattle which have implemented programs to provide public restroom access at private facilities in exchange for a fixed stipend or memorandum of understanding.

The information appeared to go nowhere due to a lack of funding options.

In December of 2013, Wilson gave the full council an update for Phase III of the Downtown Project’s workplan for 2014.  Solutions for 24 hour access to restrooms were not discussed, although he mentioned that a particular problem area where people openly defecated was recently fenced off.

A restroom is planned at the artesian well park on Fourth Avenue, as required by the mobile food vendor code, however, it is not anticipated to be open all night.

Interview with Brian Wilson about Restrooms

Wilson answered a few questions earlier this month from Little Hollywood about restroom accessibility in downtown.

Little Hollywood: I'm looking at Phase I and II Task Lists under the City's Land Use and Environment Committee, and I see a nice check-off list grouped under the categories of Clean, Safe, Economic Development, and Placemaking. Under Phase II, it mentions Expanding Restroom Availability, with a $5,000 allocation for a pilot project. Please explain.

Brian Wilson: Council allocated $5,000 toward creating public restrooms downtown in late 2012. We completed a feasibility study of different options other cities have used. The key to public restrooms (particularly 24 hour restrooms) is creating a managed solution (infrastructure, cleaning, security, etc). We learned that $5,000 is not enough money for a viable solution at this time. This is an issue that I could write several pages about.

LH: Specifically, I would like to know where the entire theme of restroom availability is in the city's, the Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA), and/or Olympia Downtown Association's current list of priorities. I am not seeing any.

BW: The overall theme is that there is no shortage of public restrooms during business hours. We have about eight or so in downtown. But after about 5:00 p.m., we don't have a solution at this point. The city, the county, and the business community all have an interest in this issue. The details of the facility are where it gets tricky....We used to have porta-potties behind the Eagles Club but those lead to a lot of criminal activity including public drinking, drug use, and sexual activities.

LH: This seems to be a human right issue, not a "safe" issue as it is listed under the current list of priorities.

BW: I agree that it's definitely a human right issue. We also need to realize that previous attempts have turned into safety issues for downtown. Proper maintenance and security are key. Location is key. That said, public restrooms absolutely need to be in the conversation going forward. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and brainstorm ways to go forward. This is a community issue that involves several stakeholders. The restrooms would serve many different populations: homeless, visitors, etc.

LH: Is the Artesian Commons restroom planned to be open at night, or just when the mobile vendor trucks are open?

BW: At this time the Artesian Commons restroom will be open until the park closes at 7 PM. I am really pushing for the park to be open until 2 AM. The Artesian Commons is a step in the right direction. The current model is an improvement from the current condition and I'll be fighting to expand the hours as we move forward. No promises whether that will ever happen. Community feedback and support for such an idea is very important. It all comes down to site management...which is really a dollars and cents matter.

LH: I watched your Dec. 10, 2013 report to the council on Downtown Project, Phase III. Nowhere are restrooms a priority although I heard you were able to put a fence up around a problem area. As Councilmember Jones said, some things fell off the list. When does providing restrooms become part of the downtown conversation?

BW: Restrooms are still in the conversation. Funding sources is the real issue as it isn't cheap to make this crucial amenity successful.

I just met with over 20 bar owners and bartenders who made it very clear that we need 24-hour public restrooms in downtown Olympia. I couldn't agree more. What we're missing is a proposal that includes a managed solution that fits into the current funds available. It's not impossible, but it's trickier than many realize.

The Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA)

The PBIA was created by the Olympia City Council advisory committee in 2006, with board members elected annually by the PBIA ratepayers in downtown Olympia.
 
Businesses are assessed fees based on the number of employees. The fees are spent on various downtown projects such as $7,000 on the decorating of benches a few years ago. This year, they spent money giving out a string of Christmas lights to each participating business to make downtown look prettier for the holidays.

In the entire 19 page Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA) Five Year Strategic Plan for Downtown, 2011- 2015, the word “bathroom” or “restroom” is not mentioned once.

Olympia’s 2014 Downtown Master Plan

The city of Olympia will soon be embarking on its 2014 Downtown Master Plan, and opportunities will arise for plenty of public input into this vision.

“As a planning commission member, the homeless situation is now becoming more of “my” problem, so to speak, because of what we want downtown to become from a planning perspective,” says Carole Richmond, a member of the Olympia Planning Commission.

“To attract families, downtown needs to be clean, safe, and welcoming. Downtown is the heart and soul of Olympia and of the whole South Sound. It really seems to me that we should be making our best planning and redevelopment efforts there, which can include some housing and amenities, i.e. restrooms. I think we need a regional solution, not one that falls disproportionately on downtown Olympia. All cities want to attract entrepreneurs and employment. We're no different.”