Some Pacific Beach residents complaining about the abysmal condition of Fanuel Street Park’s restrooms are clamoring for them to be closed at night as a matter of public safety.

This post appeared recently on Pacific Beach’s social media.

Bathrooms at Fanuel Street Park: “I live near Fanuel Street Park and these restrooms need to be locked at night. People are sleeping, doing drugs, and having sex, every night in these bathrooms. On multiple occasions, there have been people ‘tripping out’ and screaming from the bathrooms. The maintenance crew that cleans these bathrooms every morning says they are disgusted with what they find. Please submit a request on the GetItDone app to have these bathrooms locked at night.”

Replying to reports of the poor condition of Fanuel Street Park’s restrooms, District 1 Councilmember and Council President Pro Tem Joe LaCava said, “Previous shoreline park comfort station closures taught us that when we close a community restroom, the community becomes the restroom. The successful solution for neighbors, park visitors, and City staff should blend homeless outreach, public safety, and maintenance.”

The San Diego Police Department also weighed in on Fanuel Park restrooms, with the department’s Northern Division noting it can only provide information as it pertains to public safety.

“Fanuel Park is unique in that it is set back into a residential community,” said SDPD spokesperson Jessicamarie Thrift. “Northern Division routinely conducts enforcement at this location, and we do our best to address community concerns as they are presented to us. We have addressed vehicle habitation, alcohol, excessive noise, and possible narcotics use to name a few of the concerns we’ve received. We also support the park rangers with incidents that arise at the location if necessary.”

The City also responded to the Fanuel Park restroom situation. Benny Cartwright, supervising PIO in the City’s Communications Department, said that of the 29 comfort stations in Mission Bay Park, the Fanuel Street Park location “faces a slightly greater degree of activity by unhoused individuals resulting in trash, debris, and discarded needles left regularly. In addition, individuals displaying aggressive behavior are sometimes present, which can impede cleaning efforts. Unfortunately, some of these conditions are common for many comfort stations in Mission Bay and shoreline parks.”

Cartwright noted City parks staff have found trash and debris thrown about the restrooms, urine, and feces on the floors and walls, as well as graffiti both inside and outside of the restrooms. He added park staff have also found “various drug paraphernalia and signs of drug usage in the restrooms, including used needles inserted into toilet ring holders, as well as on the floor.”

So what can be done about it? Cartwright outlined measures that can be taken by the City to address health and safety issues in Fanuel Street Park restrooms. Those include:

– Having an overnight security guard present to enable the restrooms to remain open overnight.

– Utilizing a security guard to close and open the restrooms.

– Establishing a park curfew to close the entire park during certain hours.

Currently, Fanuel Park is open 24 hours, but the parking lot is closed from 10 p.m.-7 a.m. However, the restrooms remain accessible from the bayside walkway by park patrons.

Concerning why park bathrooms are left open at night, Cartwright noted: “Historically, the Parks and Recreation Department’s practice has been to leave restrooms open overnight as part of the City’s essential public services to the community at large. Previous attempts to close restrooms have resulted in assault of security guards, vandalism of the restrooms, and human waste left outside the comfort station, etc.”

Cartwright said City staff have reported the presence in Fanuel Park restrooms of “unhoused individuals onsite who are unwilling to vacate the comfort station for cleaning to occur.” He added staff have also found “damage to restroom sinks by unhoused individuals who set fires in them to keep warm.”

He pointed out that Fanuel Park’s restroom’s condition “is comparable but slightly worse than other comfort stations in Mission Bay Park. He added, “What makes Fanuel Street Park so challenging and unique is its proximity to residential areas, making it even more visible to the public.”

The City said there are presently two grounds maintenance workers assigned to Fanuel Street Park who are responsible for maintaining and cleaning the entire park, including restrooms. In addition, the maintenance staff are responsible for maintaining turf and landscape areas, and hardscape areas, and performing irrigation.

“The Fanuel Street Park comfort station is cleaned three times per day, seven days per week,” noted Cartwright. “This maintenance schedule is consistent across all comfort stations within Mission Bay and Shoreline Parks.”

The City added maintenance of all parks and recreation facilities, including comfort stations, is a high priority. Staff work eight hours per day, seven days per week, to maintain all facilities and ensure their cleanliness and safety.

What process would be involved in petitioning the City to get Fanuel Street Park bathrooms locked at night?

“For requested restroom closures, the City evaluates and investigates all complaints concerning the restroom in question,” answered Cartwright. “This evaluation process may involve multiple City departments, but at a minimum will include the Parks and Recreation Department and the San Diego Police Department. The City reviews data about the restroom in question, including, but not limited to, customer complaints, including those requests made through the City’s Get It Done platform, as well as crime statistics.”

Cartwright added the evaluation process for City park’s restroom closures also includes an in-person assessment to confirm onsite conditions outlined as part of the requested restroom closure. “All of the information obtained is disseminated and discussed with the Mission Bay Park Committee, the mayor’s office, and the council district office in which the restroom is located,” he said. “A determination is then made as to what the restroom closure hours should be.”

Since City maintenance staff work primarily during daylight hours, Cartwright said the City could contract with external service providers for security services and portable toilet rental. “A security guard would close and open the restrooms,” he said adding, “Portable toilets would be used during the hours of closure.”

Concluded Cartwright: “The process described above has already started (for Fanuel). The City looks forward to providing updates on its progress toward this restroom closure effort.”