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Source: Santa Barbara County
The County of Santa Barbara received approval from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to move forward on an accelerated Stage 2 path to reopening. With this approval, Santa Barbara County restaurants can now offer dine-in service (other facility amenities, like bars or gaming areas, are not permitted) and retail businesses with exterior facing entrances are permitted to have customers inside of their stores. Destination retail includes shopping malls and swap meets.
“This is an exciting next step for our entire community and we are thankful for the diligent cooperation of residents,” said Van Do-Reynoso, Director for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. “As local businesses work through reopening we encourage them to adhere to physical distancing and hygiene guidelines while educating both staff and customers of new practices.”
On Tuesday, May 19, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the County’s draft attestation for the business readiness criteria that was submitted to the state Department of Public Health the same day. The attestation documents demonstrate that the County is meeting state standards for safely reopening. In a quick turnaround, the attestation was approved by the state last evening (May 20), paving the way for a new health officer order issued today from the County Department of Public Health.
“This next phase of our reopening process will help get more Santa Barbara County residents back to work, while ensuring that local businesses modify operations to keep their customers and workers safe,” said County Supervisor Gregg Hart, Chair of the Board. “As we reopen additional businesses, we must all continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while out in the community. Let’s work together to safely support our local businesses as we progress through our COVID-19 response and recovery.”
The types of businesses allowed to reopen in this latter phase of Stage 2 include dine-in restaurants (with modifications), schools and child care, retail stores and shopping malls, and some offices. Higher risk businesses, such as hair and nail salons, gyms, churches and hotels for non-essential stays, are identified to reopen in Stage 3, but not before Governor Newsom declares eligible counties can move into Stage 3.
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Before the businesses can reopen in Santa Barbara County, they are required to review state and local guidance, complete a COVID-19 Prevention Plan, and self-certify that they can open safely; all of which can be found at recoverysbc.org/reopen-your-business/. Upon completion of the self-certification, businesses receive a certificate to print and display attesting to a safe and clean environment for workers and customers.
To assist businesses, the County created template signage in English and Spanish depicting disinfection control and physical distancing for workplace and customer safety. The templates are available to download on the County’s Public Health COVID-19 website at publichealthsbc.org/business-resources and with the RISE Guide at recoverysbc.org/the-rise-guide/.
Small Business and Community Partnership Enhancement Program (SBCPEP)
In addition, the County launched Phase 1 of the Small Business and Community Partnership Enhancement Program (SBCPEP) that allows businesses or other organizations to expand into adjacent public right-of-way outdoor areas in the unincorporated areas of the county to accommodate required social and physical distancing protocols and safe practices. Only businesses authorized to be open under the Governor’s Roadmap and the County’s RISE Guide will be granted a permit. Other businesses may apply in advance as they prepare for reopening.
A second phase is being developed to allow expansion onto private property, such as parking lots. Once announced, Phase 2 applications will be available. Businesses and community entities interested in Phase 1 that seek to use the public sidewalk or roadway for their business operations must submit an encroachment permit application, site plan, and certificate of insurance. To learn more and access the application, go to recoverysbc.org/sbcpep/.
Santa Barbara County RISE Guide:
- Stage 1: Safety & Preparedness
- Stage 2: Lower Risk Workplaces
- Stage 3: Higher Risk Workplaces
- Stage 4: End of Stay-at-Home Order
Food servers should either wrap or cover food on the way from kitchen to table. As the distance grows for delivery, so does exposure.
OK, so “schools and child care” are open, so how about youth sports? Little league? There’s a heck of a lot more social distancing on a baseball diamond than in a classroom!
Bravo!
Hmmm when did the Board change the zoning code to allow use of public right of way? At least the City Council has had staff presentations and public comments on expanding restaurants. Could be a free for all in places like Los Alamos, etc.
Citizens need to keep a careful eye on the City of Solvang businesses because a few have been pushing the limits in the past weeks. There will almost certainly be places that attempt to open that are clearly in the Phase 3 category, especially barbershops, salons and adult “watering holes.” There’s even a business that’s currently flying a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag at one main intersection in a show of defiance to protecting our health. As long as everybody plays by the rules & heeds the healthcare professionals’ advice, we’ll all be good as they saying goes.
Sadly the County has been silent on wearing face coverings (though the Public Health Director Do-Reynoso clearly reccomends their use) so to allow IN SERVICE Dining without masks required is a recipe for disaster. Personally i will order food from restaurants in the Cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara as they require masks be worn by people in the restaurant who are making the food. Would not take my chances in the unincorporated County area, despite some great restaurants
great news
2:47 – I love that they’re flying the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag. It’s a clear signal to all that the owner(s) are historically illiterate, selfish, and truly don’t care about their neighbors’ or family members’ health. Good luck with that!
It seems to me that “Don’t Tread on Me Flags” and pastors holding public gatherings are trying to win the Darwin Award. I would be fine with the consequences except the poor medical people are suffering while trying to take care of us.
I seem to remember spending a lot of time in the dugout during little league. Did you play the field for both teams?
I’m really looking forward to going out to dinner again. If SB city won’t allow it, I’ll go to restaurants outside the city limits. If the county won’t allow it, I’ll go down to Ventura county. I’m not alone, and folks like me who want to go out to dinner will travel to the open restaurants in Goleta, north county, and Ventura. I don’t think SB will be able to stomach losing all that revenue for long. However, I fully expect SB city to do everything in its power to destroy as many businesses as it can. I think the moral of the story is, if you want to run a business make sure to locate outside the SB city limits.
Don’t inhale your food and you should be okay. Seriously, the food itself should not be a problem. The danger is the possibility of virus on the silverware and glasses that one might transfer to one’s nose or eyes, and of course droplets that arrive through the air from any contagious person nearby. But it seems that if you put the virus in you mouth and swallow it, it doesn’t get into your respiratory system.
CHIP – A) Throwing a temper tantrum because you can’t go eat in a restaurant during a virus, while others are sacrificing their lives to protect us from the virus, is the definition of SNOWFLAKE. B) You’re complaining about SB not letting you eat out in a comment section of an article that is literally about how SB is now LETTING you eat out. Lordy, Chip, it must be exhausting crying about everything all the time, even when the thing you’re crying about is actually happening the way you want it to. Whew!
PITMIX – I’m sure you did spend most of your time in the dugout haha. Great thing about dugouts these days is that they have doors, so you’re not stuck permanently in there (weird I even have to explain that). Also, there is PLENTY of space around the dugouts for kids to wait their turn at bat or sit out an inning. That’s the beauty of the outdoors….. you can spread out.
Ventura has seen a big spike in COVID cases – so by all means – go down there and soak up the atmosphere.
Santa Barbara had it good. We’re just far enough from LA, and we practiced socially distancing early. Keep up the good work or we could be like Alabama – Montgomery hospitals have hit their peak with ICU patients – and the spike isn’t contained in Montgomery, the patients are being channeled in from other cities. The city may release a shelter at home order. 90+ thousand deceased and some selfish people are crying their eyes out about wearing a mask.
Advance to Stage 3 expeditiously.
Well, this past two months has been quite an indulgent festival for Mr. and Mrs. Misery-Guts, Ms. Schadenfreude, and every neurotic son-of-a-bitch this side of the valley, as those of us who enjoy life’s simple pleasures have been forced to curtail our activities and shelter-in-place, for the sake of a few obese individuals and people of advanced age with underlying health problems.
Hundreds, thousands of people in this county are now struggling to pay rent, businesses dying on the vine, lives turned upside down. Was it all worth it?
It has been three weeks since the State of Georgia opened up, and there has been no uptick in cases there. so if they can do it in the cesspool of the Confederacy, I think we can do it here, too.
Cheers!
Canon Perdido.
Rant?
Can anyone tell me any info about Santa Barbara and Goleta beaches? Can you actually put down a towel and sit in the sand? Much appreciated if you have the most current info.
Chip – Could you at least read the article first?
Lone sunbathers and small household groups, lying on towels–conscientiously sitting six feet apart–have been menaced by black helicopters with machine-gun-bearing paramilitaries, but so far (fingers crossed), there have been no casualties. It has been suggested that UV sunlight kills the virus, and that being outdoors minimizes the chances of infection, but Big Brother and his representatives believe that the general public would be better off sitting in air-conditioned spaces, with recycled air, six feet apart, wearing masks.
I will take that as an expeditious NO – go to the beach but keep moving. Excellent literary skills – thanks for a good laugh 🙂
Loosecannon, great rant. I totally agree. There are more of us that feel the way you do. Glad we’re heading forward with no looking back. The sheep don’t seem to understand that reality yet but hey that’s what sheep do, they have to wait until they get told what to do.
7:44 you can go to the beach and unwind, sunbathe, nap etc. You’ll find that you feel very normal there. There are lots of small groups doing the same thing, nobody breaking social distance rules, nobody acting a fool like you’ve heard on edhat from people hiding in their closets. Just normal people doing normal activities and soaking up the sun. Go check it out!
My loved one died from COVID and almost lost a beloved god daughter to it. Keep your propaganda – it’s obvious you are afraid of news that doesn’t coexist with your highly-limited world view.
I am so sorry you lost your loved one. May they Rest In Peace. And may your god daughter make a full recovery.
So Pitmix is against religion and anybody that doesn’t agree with government. Gotcha. Let me get out my Snowflake flag for ya.
LetMeGo, Who one doesn’t understand science? And to which science do you refer since we get so many different “expert” opinions explaining science to us here on Ed Hat?
I had to go to Lowe’s in Ventura today for something that is no longer stocked by Home Depot. It was totally “business as usual.” Probably two-thirds of the customers and sales associates weren’t wearing masks. There was zero social distancing. There were no sanitized shopping carts, nor were there wipes to do it yourself. I know Ventura County is on a fast track to reopen, but I really think they might be jumping the gun a bit. The best thing about my outing was that there was hardly any traffic on the freeway, either coming or going, which is unheard of on the Friday before a three-day weekend. But it’s true what they’ve been saying about the speeders, which were using the 101 as if it were the Autobahn.
This pandemic has brought one thing out for sure: people are selfishly on the side of whatever works best for them. It is amazing how this has brought out admissions from so many that they have no problem with their parents, grandparents, etc. dying from this as long as their business goes well and they get to do whatever they want. Some have even said it’s a GOOD thing to weed out the weaker among us. Then there were reports that this virus was not only killing off the undesirables –taking out some of the young, white and lovely as well–and that gave those people a moment’s pause. Then those who DID care about health care workers and their weaker relatives were coming down strong on those who won’t social distance, wear masks, etc. Now, the tide seems to be turning toward the virus backing off a bit and people are jubilantly deriding those who urge caution. It will be fascinating to watch the next chapter. So far, our situation is eerily familiar if one has read reports of the Spanish flu outbreak. The virus seemed to ebb, everything opened up with great jubilation and derision of those who urged caution. Then, as we all know, the second and third waves hit so much stronger than the first, killing millions of people of all ages and creeds. Wonder, if this should happen to us, whose attitudes might change?
Your comparison to the 1918 Spanish Flu is deeply flawed. There was no “great jubilation” and “derision of those who urged caution” when “everything opened up” after “the virus seemed to ebb”. That’s quite a dramatic and revisionist description of the first wave. The first wave, in fact, was just a typical flu; nothing was closed at that point. A further difference between what happened in 1918-19 and today is an inadvertent, artificial selection process that took place during WWI. Troops with a mild version of the flu deemed healthy enough to continue fighting at the fronts, where they would die in the trenches. Those too sick to fight were moved to the rear where they could affect the transmission of the deadlier version of the flu to those circulating to and from places far from the battlefields. This artificial selection enriched the population of those caring the more deadly version of the flu. I do not see any sort of artificial selection process going today. Do you? Generally these viral outbreaks tend to select for more milder versions, since that is true natural selection and in the interest of the virus itself, so to speak.
4:15, “… others are sacrificing their lives to protect us from the virus.” REALLY? Sacrificing their lives? From the statistics released so far, here in SB County the people that have passed away were mostly people with underlying existing health issues and some from the Lompoc prison. Could you explain you think are sacrificing their lives?
SB Walkers, it is silly. But I believe they can have food trucks, or catering come in which will allow them to open and provide other small businesses some much needed business of their own. At least that’s what the San Luis Obispo County opening press conference stated.
The whole thing is ridiculous. Letting the government pick and choose who can earn a living or not these days. This whole time a great majority of people where employed and all the big box stores have been open to sell everything they want. Yet they nit pick on the little guys while their livelihoods hang in the balance. It’s totally not fair.
Super freak, following, I have pasted some info that certainly backs up my assertions. If there was even an “anti-mask” league in San Francisco, not sure how you can say there was no derision of the cautious. And are you truly trying to say that no one was at all happy when the city relaxed lock down orders? Jubilant is how I have heard it described. Here goes: ” But when the number of cases tapered off by November 1918, the city relaxed restrictions on the public too early, ultimately leaving San Francisco with one of the highest death rates in the US by the spring of 1919.
Spanish-flu infections seemed to dwindle by November 1918, and the city relaxed lockdown orders. When another wave hit San Francisco, much of the public — including “The Anti-Mask League” — resisted the mandates that city leaders reenacted to help blunt the spread of the disease. The city ended up with nearly 45,000 cases and over 3,000 reported deaths.
It’s a cautionary tale as officials across the US fight to flatten the curve against the coronavirus disease by implementing stay-at-home orders and city shutdowns, even as some Americans protest those measures.”
ahh, another person who doesn’t understand science. Um, okay.
Great rant, sure. Plenty of people with no underlying conditions at the age of 40-55 have also died, and that’s hardly “advanced age”, as many of us at that age still have young children. But sure, go ahead, what’s another death if you are 60 or 70 or immuno-compromised, amirite?
BENE, November 1918 was the second wave, and spring of 1919 was the third wave. What you’re are describing is not comparable to what we’re going through now. There was no panic or shutdowns during the first wave in spring/summer of 1918.
” few obese individuals and people of advanced age with underlying health problem” – Seriously? So you’re willing to sacrifice your friends and families (statistics will prove you have at least 1 overweight and or elder relative) just because you don’t like you life “upside down?” You are not only selfish, you also sound completely uneducated to say that. I hope you’re parents read this. You should be ashamed of yourself.
420722 – do you have elderly parents, a chubby cousin maybe? I’m sure you have at least one of the two. If so, you should be ashamed of yourself. FUTHERMORE, it’s not “obese” people at risk, it’s those with compromised immunity, some stemming from weight related issues, but there are plenty of healthy overweight folks out there if you look at the medical definition of overweight. Whats your BMI?
420722 – I was at Haskell’s last evening and their were multiple groups of young adults playing spike ball, beer pong and just hanging out around some beer – ALL violating social distance rules. There were also plenty relaxing and hanging with friends (like us) that were distanced. So please stop your uninformed lying by saying “nobody” is doing anything wrong. I doubt you’ve even been outside yourself, just hating on the elderly from your desk.
Oh my, youths drinking beer and playing ball at the beach??? Those damn kids. To them the virus is less of a risk than the drive to the beach, but none the less we should force them to stop living their lives for an indefinite length of time. Somebody call the fun police!
CHIP – I was drinking beer as well, that’s not my point. My point is that 420722 was outright lying about people following the rules at the beach. They were clumped together and definitely not all living in a 30 person house. These folks, if infected, will spread it. That’s how this whole thing works. How are you still whining about how it’s not dangerous for young healthy people? Do you have no idea how a virus works?
CHIP OF SB: Asking the young people to keep their distance from each other is not “forcing them to stop living their lives.” Why do you always blow things so ridiculously and clearly out of proportion? Based on your hysteria, it must be a living nightmare for you to walk out the door and see people keeping apart and wearing masks while carrying on their normal lives. What have you, CHIP OF SB, being forced to stop doing, besides working in the office (if at all)? Grocery stores are open, most retail stores are open, most restaurants are open (even for your dining in needs now), the parks are open, the beaches are open…. You don’t strike me as a professional athlete, but you can still go throw a ball with a buddy. It is NOWHERE NEAR as bad as you constantly cry and moan that it is. Sac, out!
Loose – what black military helicopters are you talking about? Have the “machine-gun-bearing paramilitaries” really been storming the beaches to ward off sunbathers? Where? When? You conservatives sure like to freak out and panic about things. Where in the USA have paramilitaries stormed the beaches? Tell us, don’t just make up fantasies. Let’s hear it!
If VC spikes COVID due to lax social distancing etc., let’s just block off 101 at Casitas Pass when the #secondwave hits. Cool thing about south county is we can blockade 154 & 101 too, if things get bad and refugees from the non-distancing regions come pouring in. #semifacetious
First, I’m free to respond to whatever comment I’d like to, particularly when it’s loaded with misinformation. Second, and more importantly, it’s not a dissection of minutiae, but rather the exposure of said misinformation. Both pro- and anti-shutdown camps are spreading false facts and people deserve to hear the truth. Attempting to liken COVID-19 to the 1918 Spanish Flu is just a cruel attempt to cause unnecessary panic in the community. You clearly do not understand what caused the second, third and forth waves in 1918-1919, let alone know when they occurred. Thankfully you cannot edit posts on EdHat, so people can clearly read what you wrote in the OP. You were either intentionally spreading misinformation, or were misinformed, when you wrote that we may suffer the fate of those who didn’t take the first wave of 1918 seriously and ignored the calls to remain shutdown at the time—when nothing of the sort ever took place. QED.
You are for some reason starting a battle of semantics and detail that is of no importance to the big picture. Are you actually going through all this time and effort to complain that I said the first wave instead of the second wave–when this detail makes no difference to the concept of relaxing restrictions and then opening and getting a bigger outbreak ?! This detail does not change my broader assertions or the authors of the quote’s conclusions. Super Freak, I have been stalked before, and I am starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with your frequent following of my comments and subsequent dissection of minutiae, other times misconstruing what was said, or seizing upon some minor detail that you exaggerate out of proportion and importance. I will avoid reading your comments and never have initiated engagement with you. I hope you will do the same for me in future.