City permit for single ADA unit at park. Normal?

Yes, it is normal for a city permit office to require multiple units even for a small event when applying the ADA 5 percent cluster rule. The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design require that where multiple single-user portable toilets are clustered at a single location, at least 5 percent (but at least one) must be accessible. Since your event is clustering units at one location, the permit office is correctly interpreting this as requiring more than one unit to form a cluster, even if only one ADA-compliant portable toilet is requested.

For 75 people over four hours with no alcohol, industry guidelines suggest one standard unit would typically suffice, but the ADA rule takes precedence over capacity guidelines. Many parks departments enforce this strictly to avoid discrimination claims. The additional standard unit ensures compliance and provides more options for attendees, reducing wait times. Placement on level grass with good truck access is ideal for servicing.