Beachfront bathroom on the move

Mar. 19—FRANKFORT — Intense public opposition to a beachfront bathroom project prompted the Frankfort City Council to change course, marking the latest chapter in the ongoing drama.

Council members voted 4-1 this month to relocate the ADA-accessible facility from the waterfront area to a new location somewhere on or near Miami Street. An exact site is not yet determined.

The decision follows years of planning and public meetings about the proposed $560,000, two-unit bathroom.

Public debate reignited in February when surveying stakes appeared in the sand just south of the Frankfort pier. Stakes disappeared last week without permission from authorities.

Many local residents complained that the bathroom site would destroy the scenic beauty of the picturesque beachfront, which they call "the crown jewel" of the community.

Opposition forces initiated an online petition drive in February to stop the project, ultimately garnering 2,366 signatures — about double the total population of Frankfort.

"The beachfront bathroom issue is definitely one of the most contentious issues we've ever seen in Frankfort since we moved here in 2008," said artist Ellie Harold, who helped organize the petition drive. "I'm still not sure how it will all shake out."

Harold said she was inspired to get involved after reading a biography of Gwen Frostic, the renowned artist and entrepreneur who specialized in naturalistic block printing.

"Gwen talked about her experiences 'fighting city hall' in this area," Harold said. "I think this effort to stop the beachfront bathroom is evidence that ordinary people can do exactly that."

A proposal to allow three-story buildings on the south side of Main Street was recently voted down by the Frankfort Planning Commission, possibly in response to citizen objections and the success of the recent petition campaign, she added.

Location, size and cost were three key factors during the beachfront battle to site an ADA-accessible bathroom.

Before it was canceled, the 10-foot-high oval structure was slated about 30 feet south of the concrete walkway that leads out to the breakwater pier and about 150 feet from the water's edge.

The flat-roofed facility would have featured two family restroom units with flushable toilets and running water, plus a small utility room and open area.

The high cost of the building drew critique at recent council meetings.

About half the funding for the facility comes from a $225,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources' Land and Water Conservation Fund, according to previous reporting. Received in 2019, the grant requires building an ADA-compliant accessible bathroom, with stipulations that it be built in the waterfront area.

Additional money for the project comes from the city's 2023-24 budget, a TC Tourism grant, as well as a fund reserve from an earlier year and a $50,000 private donation, according to city documents.

In a March 15 letter to city officials, Frankfort Superintendent Josh Mills said he told the bathroom contractor — Cole, Inc. — that he was canceling the bathroom project "due to public opposition."

"There will be some expense to terminate the project due to time invested ... by the contractor," Mills noted, "however I do not anticipate that it will be significant."

How much a new design and site plan may cost is unclear. Mills did not respond to efforts to contact him by deadline.

Planning and architectural fees already expended on the project were not mentioned in the letter. Mills wrote that he is gathering information to "finalize the design and location within the Miami Street area."

Not everyone is happy with the plan to relocate the bathroom to the northeast along a line of homes.

Jon and Mary Armstrong, both in their 80s, have lived in the community for 31 years. Their home on Miami Street is close to the potential new bathroom location.

"It's just 14 feet from our kitchen table," Mary said. "We're pretty sad about that. We already have traffic jams and lots of people using our little street in the summertime. I'm surprised the city didn't conduct any traffic studies."

Armstrong said she and her husband "have tried to be good citizens" over the decades by giving back to Frankfort in a variety of ways.

"It's heartbreaking," she said. "One person told us we should sell our house, but the thought of leaving is very hard."

The Frankfort city council will meet again on Tuesday, March 19, at 5 p.m. in the city hall at 412 Main Street. The beachfront bathroom is not on the proposed agenda.