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Lakewood Youth Council urges all-gender restrooms; city law director to study ordinance
Summary
The Lakewood Youth Council asked the city to include at least one all-gender restroom in future city-owned or renovated buildings and downtown development projects; the Health & Human Services committee referred recommendations to the law department for drafting.
The Lakewood Youth Council presented recommendations to the Health & Human Services Committee on May 5 urging the city to include all-gender (single-occupancy, non-gendered) restrooms in future city-owned or renovated buildings and in downtown development projects.
Cece Weitemeyer and other youth council members told the committee that all-gender restrooms offer privacy, accessibility and safety benefits for transgender, non-binary and other community members. "All gender bathrooms provide a safe and comfortable facility for non binary individuals due to their lack of gender association," a Lakewood Youth Council statement read.
Council members across the dais praised the youth council—s work and asked the law and building departments to propose implementable next steps. "Sometimes it's just a matter of education too," Councilwoman Marks said in committee, noting developers had responded positively once the idea was clarified.
Law Director Vargo said the law department will review the youth council—s recommendations and consider drafting ordinance language for city properties and potential incentive approaches for private properties. "We'll definitely look at it," Vargo said, noting private-sector limitations such as grandfathering under building codes and the need to coordinate with the building department on signage and code compliance.
Committee members discussed options that could include 1) a city-only requirement for new or renovated city properties, 2) incentive programs for private property renovations, or 3) separate public- and private-oriented ordinances. Councilmember Strybig said the youth council—s recommendations had been driven in part by recent state-level legislation affecting restroom access in schools and rising national debate.
The committee referred the youth council—s communication to the law department for follow-up and asked staff to return with draft language and options for council consideration later in the year.
