At its Dec. 6 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the bid specifications for construction of public restrooms in Idyllwild that are compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The board had previously approved the project in May.

The funds will come from a federal grant to help communities recover from economic consequences of the COVID pandemic.

When 3rd District Supervisor Chuck Washington introduced the proposal to his board colleagues, he said, “We are demonstrating how we the county, along with a private property owner and along with a nonprofit, can work together to bring something to the community that is a benefit.”

And prior to the board meeting, he said in an email to the Town Crier, “These restrooms will benefit the local businesses and tourism for years to come. As my time representing Idyllwild is coming to an end, I am glad that we are one step closer to the placement of the public restrooms. This project will help make visits to Idyllwild an enjoyable and convenient experience.”

The board approved $450,000 for the project, which includes planning and construction. The funding source is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). While the ARPA requires that projects be completed by December 2026, the county’s budget projects that it will be completed sooner.

The bidding package is available. A pre-bid conference is tentatively scheduled for early January 2023. About a week after the bid conference, the bid submissions will be due. After the contract is awarded, the county expects construction to be completed in about eight months or fall of 2023.

The 210-square-foot facility will be along North Circle Drive in front of the Mile Hi Plaza. While public restrooms have long been desired for the town, the project was rejuvenated when Stephanie Yost, chair of the Idyllwild Community Center, approached the Stewarts, Shane and Ashley, about their interest. They then sought the cooperation of the supervisor’s staff and the county.

The proposed project is expected to enhance the overall welfare of the community through a centralized and ADA-accessible public restroom, increasing accessibility and tourist activity to the community. Tourism affects most sectors of the economy, and contributes to sales and transient occupancy tax revenues, jobs and income, the Planning staff said in its request to the board.

The project’s location on North Circle Drive is within the Idyllwild Historic Preservation District (IHPD) and the county has included the IHPD’s construction guidelines as part of the specification package.

The bidding and specification materials are more than 550 pages.

Washington shared that the prefabricated facility is “exactly like one the city of Murietta put adjacent to its $1 million-plus amphitheater. It looks very nice.”

In March, describing the project to the board, Michael Franklin of the county’s Office of Economic Development said, “The project came about initially from the unincorporated community as an initiative. The number one request coming out of the community of Idyllwild and also a constant request from visitors to that region.”

“While it fosters tourism,” Franklin added, it provides restrooms compliant with the ADA in the town’s historic district.

“Residents and visitors from all over the world flock to Idyllwild to enjoy its unique and historic charm. By addressing the public restroom demand, we improve the public’s ability to enjoy all that Idyllwild has to offer,” Washington said in an email to the Town Crier after the project’s approval. “Additionally, the county’s investment in this restroom project will support the business community, expand tourism and improve accessibility for all who visit this beautiful mountain community.”