Aberdeen council asks staff for cost estimate to install a Portland Loo near Tesla charging station

Aberdeen’s City Council on May 27 directed staff to develop a cost estimate to install a Portland Loo-style permanent public restroom near the Tesla charging station area, saying the unit could offer a durable, 24/7 option for people without access to indoor facilities.

The motion to seek a cost estimate passed unanimously, with the roll call showing 11 yes votes. Council members said the estimate should include utility work, options for solar or hybrid power, sharps disposal and the cost to prepare a concrete pad and utility stubs.

Council heard a product presentation from Cal Larson, who described the Portland Loo as a stainless-steel, vandal-resistant modular restroom with angled ventilation louvers for limited visibility, blue interior lighting intended to deter intravenous drug use and a pressure-flush toilet that uses 1.28 gallons per flush. Larson said the unit is designed for long-term use and can be relocated if needed, but moving it requires a crane because the unit weighs about 6,000 pounds.

Caleb Pier, a representative who participated online, answered technical questions about installation and operations, saying the restroom is delivered preassembled and that the city must prepare a concrete pad and stub utilities to the installation template. Pier explained the unit includes a holding capacity and a 4-inch cast-iron sewer receiver in the plumbing chase; he said cities sometimes add a larger septic or holding solution where sewer connections are insufficient.

Council members raised concerns about vandalism and operating costs. "I think we have better things to spend our money on," Taylor said, noting worries that volunteers or city staff would be expected to clean a high-need facility. Other council members said evidence from other cities suggests a permanent restroom can reduce human waste in alleys and parks and give police an alternative for chronic public-bathing complaints.

Members debated siting options: a downtown gateway area near the Tesla chargers, the future Broadway plaza, a parking-lot parcel near the drugstore and an alley site. Several members favored siting the first unit in an open, highly visible downtown location so it would be easier to monitor and less prone to vandalism. Officials discussed adding cameras, sharps containers and exterior hand-wash stations as part of the installation package.

Council members asked staff to include in the cost estimate: unit options (solar vs. hybrid power), sharps containers, a vinyl wrap for local aesthetic integration, holding/pretreatment options where a full sewer connection is not available, and a timeline. Pier estimated a lead time of roughly 90 days for order and delivery after a purchase decision, and confirmed the unit has been installed successfully in frequent-rain and cold-weather climates.

The council emphasized that the action approved was to obtain a cost estimate and feasibility assessment only; no purchase was authorized at Tuesday’s meeting. The council asked staff to report back with hard numbers and to contact peer cities (Port Angeles, Eugene and others) for operational experience and data on whether similar installations reduced public sanitation complaints.

The council’s motion passed with the following recorded yes votes: Francancy, Genan, Potchkin, Hubard, Moham, Nipper, Fredo, Rajic, Shaw, Taylor and Wilson. The next step is a staff report with estimated costs and recommended site options.