In order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the council is being asked to spend $289,516 for the design of new beach restrooms. The restrooms must be completed by June 2010 under a consent decree with the State Department of Parks and Recreation.
City Hall plans to replace eight non-compliant restroom using designs that will somewhat mirror new restrooms built at city parks. In order to minimize impacts to the public, city staff proposes a two-phase construction schedule with four facilities under construction during non-peak periods, from October 2008 to April 2009, and October 2009 to April 2010. State Parks sent a letter to City Hall in December 2005 notifying Santa Monica that it had been defending a class action lawsuit filed under ADA by plaintiffs representing park users with mobility, vision and hearing disabilities. The claims in the lawsuit stated that State Parks, including those parks operated by local agencies such as Santa Monica, did not provide legally sufficient access for persons with disabilities. A settlement was reached calling for rest-rooms to be renovated.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 13, 2007. Read the original PDF.