A religious organization sued San Francisco over its open-air urinal, demanding the city to remove it. The group claimed that the urinal emanates offensive odors as well as offensive to manners and morals.
The lawsuit was filed by The Chinese Christian Union of San Francisco along with four individuals. The group filed the civil complaint in San Francisco Superior Court last week. The file specifically mentioned that they demand San Francisco to remove the open-air urinal from Dolores Park.
According to ABC News, the group argued that the urinal "emanates offensive odors," "has no hand-washing facilities", and "offensive to manners and morals." Furthermore, the lawsuit also claims that the facility discriminates against women and the disabled and exposes those who use it to shame and embarrassment. The group claimed in the file that the open-air urination violates the privacy of those in need to use the restroom as it required them to expose their bodies in public view.
The open-air urinal facility, called a "pissoir," is out in the open with minimal means of privacy. The facility is screened only with plants. The pissoir was built to address the public urination problem that has been faced by San Francisco for years. The facility was established in Dolores Park in February to stop people from urinating publicly in walls, bushes, and sidewalks.
The city has had other facilities to address the public urination issue. Fox reported that in addition to the open-air urinal, Dolores Park now has 27 toilets. The pissoir facility was built as a response to neighborhood complaints about public urination by park goers.
The City Attorney's office already responded to the claim, saying that it will defend the litigation. The office also noted how the urination facility is just one of the park's features that could offend the plaintiffs, as reported by CBS Sacramento. The office explained that the park is well-known for is "counter culture, immodest sunbathers, pot brownie vendors, spectacular city views, and famously irreverent 'Hunky Jesus' contest."
San Francisco has been having a problem dealing with public urination for long. The city has created different programs to stop people from urinating in its public place, including painting walls with a repellant paint that would make urine spray back if someone urinated on that wall. Fines have also been increased since 2002 to $500.
San Francisco is facing a lawsuit from a local religious organization, demanding its pissoir, or outdoor urinal facility, to be removed from Dolores Park. The City Attorney's office stated that it will defend the case.
