Moscow council favors gender-neutral bathrooms

Many Pacific Northwest cities have converted their public restrooms to gender-neutral facilities, and the Moscow City Council expressed enthusiasm for doing the same for at least some city-owned restrooms.

The council approved the development of a phased approach for converting existing restrooms to gender-neutral ones at Monday’s regular City Council meeting.

“I think this is something that we absolutely need to do,” Councilor Sandra Kelly said.

City staff conducted preliminary research to determine the potential for converting its restrooms to gender-neutral bathrooms, or restrooms any gender could use, where feasible after the city received inquiries and encouragement from residents and the Moscow Human Rights Commission, Jen Pfiffner, deputy city supervisor of culture, recreation and employee services, told the council.

Pfiffner said 49 percent of Moscow’s restroom facilities would simply need a lock or sign change to make them gender-neutral and 16 percent are portable restrooms at parks.

Twenty-nine percent of its restroom facilities could be fitted for a blended option of gender-specific and gender-neutral. For example, Pfiffner said City Hall’s second floor restrooms — where the council chambers are located — could be converted to gender-neutral and the first and third floors could remain gender-specific, or designated for either men or women.

She said the last 5 percent, or restrooms at Friendship Square, Mountain View Park and the Intermodal Transit Center, would require considerable more planning to convert to gender-neutral because they include multiple stalls.

Moscow Human Rights Commission Chairman Ken Faunce said it is not just transgender people that feel uncomfortable using gender-specific bathrooms, but also parents and caretakers who need to help the opposite gender use the restroom.

“There’s all kinds of issues here and making bathrooms wherever you can gender-neutral is a way to help alleviate that, and it makes us much more of an inclusive city,” Faunce said.

Moscow staff reviewed nine cities to see if and how the municipalities addressed gender-neutral bathrooms and policies.

Eight of the nine cities — Spokane, Pullman, Nampa, Pocatello, Lewiston, Meridian, Boise and Idaho Falls — had gender-neutral or family-designated bathrooms. Caldwell’s city bathrooms were only gender-specific.

The gender-neutral and family bathrooms in the cities were at parks, city halls, recreation centers and other similar public facilities.

In other business, the council:

Accepted a 0.36-acre land donation subject to a conservation easement to the Palouse Land Trust on the western edge of Berman Creekside Park, which is located between Paradise Path and Styner Avenue. A representative and attorney of Katrina Berman’s estate approached the city about the donation, which was noted in Berman’s will. Moscow Assistant Parks and Recreation Director David Schott said the 0.36 acres will have similar conditions as the 0.73 acre-parcel Berman donated in 1996. No buildings or improvements would be allowed on the property except for amenities like benches and paths for the public to enjoy.

Considered on second reading an ordinance that would amend the city’s telecommunications code to establish standards for small cell wireless (5G) facilities. The council will consider approving the ordinance on third reading at the next council meeting. Mayor Bill Lambert cast what appeared to be the deciding 4-3 vote Monday to approve the ordinance on second reading and waive the rules requiring a third reading. But City Supervisor Gary Riedner said it takes a City Council supermajority to approve the ordinance and waive the third reading. Councilors Maureen Laflin, Brandy Sullivan and Anne Zabala cast the three dissenting votes.

Authorized requests for reimbursements under the city’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act allocation, including a proposal to purchase individual-use portable radios for Moscow volunteer firefighters to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.