City Council
MEETING DATE: 2/11/2015
TITLE:
Title
Gender Neutral Restrooms
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
This item is presented for discussion and direction to staff.
Body
BACKGROUND:
CM Kaplan requested a study session item to discuss a possible city ordinance requiring gender neutral restrooms in businesses under certain conditions. Thomi Clinton, Director of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), Palm Springs, has been invited to discuss reasons that she feels gender neutral restrooms are important.
DISCUSSION:
Staff sent out a request for information on the City Clerk list serve to other cities in the Coachella Valley. Responses were received from Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs and La Quinta. They all reported that they do not have an ordinance addressing gender neutral restrooms.
News reports have indicated that an ordinance was adopted in West Hollywood requiring that single stall restrooms be labelled as unisex facilities. There is an exemption for multiple stall restrooms. The article also indicated that similar laws are in effect in a number of other communities across the nation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no cost associated with this discussion. Implementation of an ordinance would result in some cost to the city and to local businesses.
ATTACHMENTS:
News article