One of Romtec’s strengths is being able to provide unique restroom buildings, regardless of the location. In the Jenner Headlands project, Romtec worked with the Wildlands Conservancy to supply a waterless restroom building in the Jenner Headlands coastal nature preserve in Sonoma County, California.
On their website, the Wildlands Conservancy describes Jenner Headlands as a “spectacular 5,630-acre mosaic of redwood and Douglas-fir forests, oak woodland, chaparral and coastal prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean.” This area is home to a wide variety of wild animals, including deer, bobcats, steelhead, and endangered species such as the northern spotted owl and peregrine falcon. Admission to the preserve is free for guests and provides opportunities to interact with the great outdoors through hiking, birdwatching, whale watching, and wildlife and wildflower viewing. (Jenner Headlands Preserve)
The Wildlands Conservancy had a couple goals for this project that they wanted to achieve. First, the addition of a restroom structure had to have minimal impact on the natural resources on the preserve. Second, they needed a restroom that would be ADA compliant and easily accessible. And third, the restroom shouldn’t distract or impact the natural beauty of the area. With Romtec’s expertise, we were able to confidently approach these requirements and provide a perfect solution for the Jenner Headlands restrooms.
Romtec supplied waterless restrooms that were installed at the site of a former quarry that is both convenient and easy to access. The location is along an ADA trail that allows for maintenance vehicles to access the structure and it’s only 500 ft. away from the parking lot. This location ensures that guests of all abilities will be able to access the restrooms during their visit to the preserve.
The quarry location also supplied stones that were used as a natural decorative wall to cover the face of the restrooms and disguise the building. In addition to the stone façade, the restrooms are covered by a living roof structure that seamlessly blends into the grassy hill that sits just behind the restrooms. The result is a one-of-a-kind waterless restroom that is “buried” into the hillside.
Romtec has vast experience designing unique structures for areas rich in natural beauty, and the Jenner Headlands project is another incredible natural resource that we have had the honor to provide restrooms for. Our nature preserves, forests, and national parks are valuable resources, and we understand the need to preserve the area for future generations. Our expertise allowed us to fully meet the needs of the Wildlands Conservancy while meeting the goals of accessibility and minimal impact on the area and providing a one-of-a-kind restroom for guests at the Jenner Headlands Preserve.
Jenner Headlands Preserve. (2021). The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/jennerheadlands.