Kane County will remove porta‑potties at three popular trailheads after Labor Day amid rising TRT costs

At the Aug. 26 meeting the Kane County Commission voted unanimously to terminate the county’s porta‑potty contracts at three Transient Room Tax (TRT)‑mitigated trailheads — Belly of the Dragon, Sand Caves and the Toadstools — effective after the Labor Day holiday. Commissioners directed staff to keep dumpsters in place and to update public materials to notify visitors about restroom availability.

Staff reported that the county budgeted $80,000 for trailhead restroom and mitigation this year but has already spent roughly $112,000 and is approximately $30,436 over the intended budget. Commissioners discussed options including reducing service levels, continuing through January (which would further increase costs), or canceling service immediately after the holiday. Several commissioners and staff noted that dumpsters (about $300–$360 per month total for three dumpsters) are far less expensive than porta‑potties (reported porta‑potty servicing costs were estimated at roughly $18,000+ per month across sites).

Commissioners said they will support clearer visitor messaging through county marketing channels (including Visit Southern Utah materials) to warn users that restrooms will not be available at the specified sites after the holiday, and will seek alternate TRT‑eligible mitigation options in future budget cycles. The commission did not transfer funds at the meeting to cover the overage; instead commissioners chose to cancel the service and explore re‑advertising contracts or different service models in the future.

Next steps: staff to notify contract vendors of the cancellation effective after Labor Day, maintain dumpsters at the three trailheads, update visitor materials and consider re‑advertising for services or alternative mitigations in next year’s TRT budget.