Ocean Beach residents are now one step closer to seeing the benches along Sunset Cliffs replaced. At the Nov. 2 Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Recreation Council meeting, the group approved locations and designs for the benches that will replace the current guardrail benches deemed as dangerous by city officials. City staff took suggestions that the council made at its September meeting and created a presentation Monday that included a map of where the 15 new benches would go. City representatives also handed out sketches on the design and cost estimates for the new benches. The locations of the new benches include five sites with two benches: parking lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 and 733 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. One bench was accepted at the following locations: the Adair Street kiosk; 1083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.; 1024 Cordova St.; 969 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. and 883 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. City staffer Michael Ruiz said the city settled on 15 benches because at the time the benches were counted, there were 14 actually present on the cliffs. In addition, Ruiz said that this number allows installation to meet the Americans with Disabilites Act (ADA) that require half of the benches be ADA compliant, including back and arm rests. “I wouldn’t recommend more than 15 benches because of the topography that exists,” Ruiz said. A design for the new benches was also approved. Although specific details regarding bolts and bench straps still have to be ironed out, the benches will be constructed of ipe wood and be mounted on either stainless steel or galvanized metal poles with a cement base. As they approved both new bench designs and locations, members of the council echoed their earlier sentiment that they don’t want the current benches to be removed, saying they want benches to be installed and removed in equitable numbers. With designs and locations for future benches mutually agreed upon, the focus now turns to the city to grant the contract for the project. Ruiz said the city must make bids to a minimum of five vendors before they can hire a company to start the project. This part of the process will take a few weeks minimum. “We want to make sure that we go about doing the installation in a reasonable timeframe. That’s our goal. Let’s go forward,” Ruiz said. Another major issue that will determine when exactly the benches will be installed is where the funding for installation will come from. Ruiz said the city has $20,000 set aside in a fund devoted specifically to the Sunset Cliffs benches, but based on cost estimates discussed at the meeting, that amount would only fund six of the 15 total benches with a total estimated cost of $43,000. While new benches could be in place on the cliffs as early as next spring, removal of the current benches is imminent. City staff will place notices on the benches in advance of their removal.