As temperatures drop and the first measurable rain of the season falls in Sacramento, the county is drafting an ordinance to enforce outdoor guidelines. Sacramento County moved into the most restrictive COVID-19 tier Friday, which means restaurants, places of worship, gyms and movie theaters must operate only outdoors. In mid-March, when the novel coronavirus pandemic hit California, state officials shut down many industries or established restrictions in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Since then, the state developed a reopening plan that impacts each county.The plan is a four-tier color system for reopening the state. Counties move in and out of tiers based on their number of COVID-19 cases. Purple is the most restrictive, followed by red, orange and yellow, the least restrictive.Although Sacramento County is still drafting specifics, they said they are looking to Yolo County’s ordinance as a framework. Noncompliance fines range from $25 to $500 for noncommercial violators and from $250 to $10,000 for commercial violators.Yolo County enacted enforcement in July. In the past four months, officials have fined three businesses, according to spokesperson Jenny Tan. The county averages three to eight complaints each week, but Tan explained most businesses comply after being warned. Sacramento County did not have a timeline on when the ordinance can take effect, but they said they are expediting the process. The county board of supervisors could vote on a draft as early as next week. In the meantime, businesses are once again adapting to outdoor-only services. However, unlike summer and fall, there now are the hurdles of cold and rain. The Shack in East Sacramento put out a social media plea in search of outdoor heaters.“Yesterday, a customer said there was two heaters at Home Depot down the street. Got in the car, went there and they were already gone,” said Christopher Fairman with The Shack.Fairman said two customers stepped up and gave The Shack outdoor heaters. The restaurants also built new outdoor covering to withstand rain. Blue House Korean BBQ usually has a two-hour wait on weekends. The restaurant already spent $8,000 on indoor COVID-19 enhancements. Not they estimate at least another $10,000 will be needed to build outdoor dining for tables which include personal grills. Owner Paul Cho is using the tent from summer but is also building an entirely new outdoor area for winter. “I don’t want to be an owner of a restaurant. I want to be a happiness salesperson,” Cho said. Made in the Shade Tent Rentals received a spike in calls following Tuesday’s tier announcement. The family business also had to scramble at the beginning of the pandemic after their clientele became non-existent. “We lost every event going into the pandemic. All the major events that we cover, like Bottle Rock, After Shock, we cover the 49ers, we do Sac Republic, all those events were scrapped,” Donny Vasquez said. “It was something that we had to figure out what we were going to do. So, we started thinking about restaurants and when they started calling, we were ready to go.”Vasquez has put together outdoor settings for California Family Fitness, restaurants along R Street and off Franklin Boulevard. The company is now working with DOCO and the Sacramento Kings. “It’s something that they might have to BYOB — bring your own blanket,” he said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
As temperatures drop and the first measurable rain of the season falls in Sacramento, the county is drafting an ordinance to enforce outdoor guidelines.
Sacramento County moved into the most restrictive COVID-19 tier Friday, which means restaurants, places of worship, gyms and movie theaters must operate only outdoors.
In mid-March, when the novel coronavirus pandemic hit California, state officials shut down many industries or established restrictions in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Since then, the state developed a reopening plan that impacts each county.
The plan is a four-tier color system for reopening the state. Counties move in and out of tiers based on their number of COVID-19 cases. Purple is the most restrictive, followed by red, orange and yellow, the least restrictive.
Although Sacramento County is still drafting specifics, they said they are looking to Yolo County’s ordinance as a framework.
Noncompliance fines range from $25 to $500 for noncommercial violators and from $250 to $10,000 for commercial violators.
Yolo County enacted enforcement in July. In the past four months, officials have fined three businesses, according to spokesperson Jenny Tan. The county averages three to eight complaints each week, but Tan explained most businesses comply after being warned.
Sacramento County did not have a timeline on when the ordinance can take effect, but they said they are expediting the process. The county board of supervisors could vote on a draft as early as next week.
In the meantime, businesses are once again adapting to outdoor-only services. However, unlike summer and fall, there now are the hurdles of cold and rain.
The Shack in East Sacramento put out a social media plea in search of outdoor heaters.
“Yesterday, a customer said there was two heaters at Home Depot down the street. Got in the car, went there and they were already gone,” said Christopher Fairman with The Shack.
Fairman said two customers stepped up and gave The Shack outdoor heaters. The restaurants also built new outdoor covering to withstand rain.
Blue House Korean BBQ usually has a two-hour wait on weekends. The restaurant already spent $8,000 on indoor COVID-19 enhancements. Not they estimate at least another $10,000 will be needed to build outdoor dining for tables which include personal grills.
Owner Paul Cho is using the tent from summer but is also building an entirely new outdoor area for winter.
“I don’t want to be an owner of a restaurant. I want to be a happiness salesperson,” Cho said.
Made in the Shade Tent Rentals received a spike in calls following Tuesday’s tier announcement. The family business also had to scramble at the beginning of the pandemic after their clientele became non-existent.
“We lost every event going into the pandemic. All the major events that we cover, like Bottle Rock, After Shock, we cover the 49ers, we do Sac Republic, all those events were scrapped,” Donny Vasquez said. “It was something that we had to figure out what we were going to do. So, we started thinking about restaurants and when they started calling, we were ready to go.”
Vasquez has put together outdoor settings for California Family Fitness, restaurants along R Street and off Franklin Boulevard. The company is now working with DOCO and the Sacramento Kings.
“It’s something that they might have to BYOB — bring your own blanket,” he said.