LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a letter to the state expressing support for its public health officer’s plan to reopen some businesses in Lake County more quickly than in other parts of California.
Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace is now set to submit the plan for variance from statewide coronavirus restrictions to the state government for approval, which has taken between two and three days for other counties to receive.
The board’s letter affirms claims made in Pace’s application that Lake County meets a stringent set of criteria which put it in a position to reopen some aspects of its economy before other counties do.
“Lake County meets the state criteria to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and our readiness and response protocols meet the guidelines for acceleration of Stage 2,” the board’s letter states, referring to the second stage of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “roadmap” for reopening California amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Stage 2 includes the reopening of retail businesses, some personal services like car washes, pet grooming and tanning facilities, and dine-in restaurants, among other types of activity. Businesses like hair and nail salons, bars, casinos, concert venues and sporting arenas will not be allowed to reopen until stages 3 and 4 of the governor’s plan.
If approved, Pace’s plan as currently written would begin to relax restrictions on May 26—after Memorial Day weekend.
Outdoor dining at restaurants and childcare, Pace noted, are two major types of activity that would be given the go-ahead on that date, with more de-regulation occurring across subsequent two-week intervals to allow the health department to assess the impacts of loosening restrictions on the amount of coronavirus transmission in the county.
However, the board of supervisors expressed concern that waiting until May 26 might be unnecessary, with several supervisors advocating for Pace to change his plan and remove that date, allowing the variance—if approved—to begin as soon as possible.
“I would hope that at the very latest we open by Friday,” District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said.
By the end of the meeting, it was not clear whether or not Pace would remove the date from his plan. Pace noted he had included the date in order to prevent a big rush of visitors to Lake County over Memorial Day weekend, which would only be made larger by newly relaxed restrictions.
“Part of what we are trying to do is to discourage out-of-town folks from coming up here,” Pace said. Opening more businesses before the weekend, he added, “doesn’t seem prudent to me right now.”
The board voted 4-1, with District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown casting the sole “no” vote, to send the letter of support for Pace’s application for a local variance.
Apart from the May 26 reopen date, which the board expressed consensus for removing from the application, the chief point of disagreement arising from Pace’s plan was whether masks should be required to be worn by employees and customers inside businesses reopening under the changing restrictions.
No blanket proposal has been made by Pace to require that masks be worn by everyone when doing any activities out in public, but Pace has included a masking requirement inside businesses in the plan for variance—an idea that has already brought detractors and supporters from the general public and the board of supervisors.
One local resident argued that masks will not be effective in preventing transmission of the virus. “They’re going to give us a false sense of security,” she said.
District 3 Supervisor E.J. Crandell said he supports Pace’s plan to require mask use as a way to move forward with reopening more quickly.
“I’d rather be able to let people open that can’t” under current regulations, Crandell said.
