Residents press council for locked park restrooms and other park upgrades as tourism grows

Public comments and council discussion on March 28 focused on park restroom safety, maintenance and upcoming improvements. Pastor Jim Jones suggested building permanent restrooms at Santa Fe Park and urged the council to pursue available grant funding to support tourism and visitor comfort. Another resident reported seeing people living in unlocked park restrooms at night and asked whether staff could secure bathrooms at closing hours.

Council members and city staff discussed options including locking restrooms at park closing (10:00 p.m.), engaging the sheriff’s department or citizen patrol for checks, and the overtime costs for public-works staff to lock facilities. One council member said she frequently visits parks at night and had not personally observed chronic misuse, while others cautioned summer may bring increased sheltering demands.

Staff reported an existing Clean California/Caltrans grant (~$2.2 million) intended for improvements at First and Second Beach parks and said the city is in engineering with plans to bundle multiple beach/park projects into a larger contract to reduce costs. On the municipal pool, staff said interim plaster repairs are planned to open for the season, with a full replaster to be scheduled next budget year.

Council members also highlighted community cleanups and volunteer efforts ahead of a local rodeo and suggested ideas to boost civic pride and community participation as the city’s tourism season advances.