Moscow explores public gender-neutral restrooms

Certain city-owned restrooms could become gender-neutral facilities in Moscow.

City staff conducted preliminary research to determine the potential for converting its restrooms to gender-neutral bathrooms 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 Moscow City Council Administrative Committee on Monday.

Pfiffner said about half, or 49 percent, of Moscow’s restroom facilities would simply need a lock or sign change to make them gender-neutral, or restrooms any gender could use, 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.

The Moscow Administrative Committee recommended city staff develop a phased planning approach for converting city restrooms to gender-neutral ones. The item will be on Monday’s City Council regular agenda.

“I think it’s a good idea to go forth and maintain gender neutrality with future facilities,” Councilor Art Bettge said. “I think the tripping point is what you do with some of the multi-stall facilities we have now in order to accommodate. That’s going to be the expensive one.”

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.

Pfiffner said Boise and Idaho Falls are more gender-neutral and Boise’s goal is to have gender-neutral restrooms at all of its facilities.

“They are deemed much more proactive on this it seems,” Pfiffner said of Boise and Idaho Falls. “They have more existing (gender-neutral) facilities.”

In other business, the Moscow Administrative Committee recommended accepting a 0.36-acre land donation on the west 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 would have the same conditions as the 0.73 acre-parcel Berman donated in 1996.

The proposed parcel would be a conservation easement with the Palouse Land Trust and no buildings or improvements would be allowed on the property except for amenities like benches and paths for the public to enjoy, Schott said. The item will be on the City Council’s regular agenda.

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