The Town Council has approved a proposed design for two new restroom buildings for Fountain Park.

The restrooms are being incorporated into a Sanitary District project and would be built by the district with the town ultimately responsible for the ongoing upkeep and maintenance for the restrooms.

Sanitary District Manager Dana Trompke told the council the district needs to improve its access to recharge wells that are in the park. Currently, operating equipment and pumps are within an underground vault.

“We need to replace our pumping equipment,” Trompke said. “We have concerns about safety in confined spaces.

“We realize the importance of the park to the Town of Fountain Hills, and feel this is a win/win for both.”

Trompke said their primary concern is employee safety when working in the confined space of the vaults. She said OSHA changes to confined space regulations means the district would need an upgrade soon.

The primary objective for the project is to relocate the infrastructure above grade, and this would be accomplished by constructing a control building to house equipment. The district and town worked together to propose a duo use structure to also house public restrooms.

There are two structures to be constructed at separate well locations. One is along Panorama Drive just east of Saguaro Boulevard. This is an area in the park near the back of the amphitheater/performance pad.

The building will be constructed fairly close to the street to allow equipment access. The current sidewalk near this site would be moved to wrap around in front of the building, according to Trompke.

“This allows district and town maintenance access to the back of the building without having to drive across the walking path,” she said.

The second well site is farther east along Panorama, near the parking lot at the east side of the park.

The basic design and construction materials are to match those used for the existing restroom in Fountain Park by the playgrounds on the south side off El Lago Boulevard.

Vice Mayor Art Tolis said this is a needed project but wondered whether the facility near the amphitheater would be adequate, considering the volume of activities at the amphitheater.

“We need to think about increasing needs in the future and do it right the first time,” Tolis said.

Trompke said there are budget challenges and emphasized that the restrooms are secondary to the district’s needs.

Council members wanted to make it clear that the Sanitary District is paying for construction with no funding from the town.

Town Manager Grady Miller said the town’s responsibility is to maintain the operation of the restrooms, clean and supply. He estimates the cost of that would be $5,000 per year for both facilities.

Resident Bob Shelstrom said he believes the project is actually a “lose/lose” to the town and the district. He said the buildings would take away open space in the park and believes there would be significant noise from the well equipment. He wondered whether the district had considered other options.

Shelstrom also said he believes Miller’s $5,000 annual cost is optimistic.

“I think you are looking at triple that,” Shelstrom said.

Trompke said they investigated all of their options and consider this the best, with the opportunity to provide the restrooms.

She said to keep the equipment in the ground, it would require a vault three times the existing enclosures to comply with OSHA’s increasing rules and regulations.

She said she believes the noise will be minimal.

The council voted to approve the design with a unanimous 7-0 vote.