Sacramento’s coronavirus rules loosen before 3-day weekend. What’s OK on Memorial Day?
In a pandemic-stricken society, holiday observances have become something of a challenge, while others have been a breaking point.
Coronavirus-prompted shutdowns began right around St. Patrick’s Day, forcing the cancellation of celebrations in Sacramento and the Bay Area in mid-March, a few days before Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the entire state to stay home for all but essential purposes.
April brought the religious holidays of Easter, Passover and Ramadan, while Newsom’s stay-at-home order continued to prohibit places of worship from opening for in-person service. In the weeks since then, Newsom’s office has been the target of numerous lawsuits saying this part of the order restricts religious freedoms or other constitutional rights.
May is here and it has brought Cinco de Mayo and, next Monday, Memorial Day.
But this holiday weekend may look different from previous ones under COVID-19, as Sacramento County on Friday is expected to take the next step in gradually reopening for business. County health chief Dr. Peter Beilenson said Tuesday that the state has given the OK for dine-in restaurants and in-store retail shopping to resume for the county of about 1.5 million people.
Yolo County is seeking the same approval, despite some objection from West Sacramento’s mayor. Nearby El Dorado and Placer counties had already received permission to do so early last week.
Beilenson said the county expects by about noon Friday to officially amend its public health order in a way that will let qualifying businesses open by that night, so long as they meet physical distancing and sanitation standards set at both the state and county levels.
The county will also loosen restrictions on gatherings, allowing for groups of up to 10 people to congregate outdoors so long as they are maintaining six feet of distance.
Socially distant pool party, anyone?
Restaurant dining, leeway in outdoor recreation rules, the reopening of Arden Fair mall to shoppers and summer-like weather could be a welcome sight for those hoping for a three-day weekend more similar to those celebrated pre-coronavirus.
But there will still be restrictions, as happened last month during a heat wave that brought packed crowds to some Southern California beaches. Health and government officials will likely pay close attention to how social distancing measures are adhered to at parks, lakes, rivers and beaches in the Sacramento area and throughout the state, where a growing number of counties are being allowed to advance along within Phase 2 of Newsom’s four-phase reopening plan.
What can you do this weekend in Sacramento County?
Forecasts from the National Weather Service show Sacramento highs creeping from the high 80s Saturday to around 94 degrees Monday.
A backyard cookout, pool party or maybe even a water gun fight with you and nine or fewer of your friends would be allowed under the soon-to-be-modified order.
But you’d still be required to keep six feet of distance from others in attendance, except for members of the same household.
And those gathering should avoid sharing physical equipment with each other, which might make the logistics of that barbecue a little tricky. Bring your own tongs and grillables?
A hike had been permitted even before Sacramento County’s planned loosening of the stay-at-home order, so long as you keep six feet of distance from anyone outside your household.
Parking lots to 27 California state parks partially reopened earlier this week, including at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, though state parks officials are still encouraging people to stay home. Gloria Sandoval, deputy director of California’s state parks department, said parks and parking lots could close back down “if unsafe conditions develop.”
According to the state parks website, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area has park entrances open at Granite Bay and Beals Point in Placer County; the Folsom Lake Marina in El Dorado County; and Folsom Point, Negro Bar and Nimbus Flat in Sacramento County.
Restrooms and boat launches are open at those access points. Motorized boating is allowed on Folsom Lake and non-motorized boating is OK at Lake Natoma.
California State Parks warns that social distancing measures must be followed for those not in the same household, and that those on foot at the Folsom Lake recreation area must stay active: “Keep walking, jogging, hiking and biking,” the webpage says in a set of visitor guidelines. “Watch for one-way trails.”
What will still be off-limits this weekend?
Outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people, and parties or gatherings indoors that bring groups of any size from different households together, still won’t be allowed under the county public health order this weekend.
The county is also giving Arden Fair mall permission to open, but officials say shoppers there and at other malls that may open in the county will be asked to wear masks. The mall’s rules for this weekend and onward have yet to be finalized.
“We are currently waiting on Sacramento County’s requirements and recommendations to ensure we are following all guidelines and will be working with our retailers to open soon,” mall spokesman Nathan Spradlin said.
Nonessential travel by visitors into much of the south side of the Lake Tahoe area remains banned. The city of South Lake Tahoe announced in a news release Wednesday that property owners, such as vacation home owners, can return to the area, “but visitors are still asked not to be here at this time.”
El Dorado County has also banned nonessential travel to the unincorporated Tahoe basin area indefinitely, a measure designed to limit travel-based transmission of the coronavirus following the expiration of its separate, countywide coronavirus health order. El Dorado was California’s first county to let its local stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order expire, while remaining under the statewide stay-at-home mandate.
Sacramento County Regional Parks in a Wednesday news release said both open and closed alcoholic beverages will be banned on the shore and the water of the American River within the parks department’s jurisdiction from Saturday through Monday.
The alcohol restrictions are unrelated to COVID-19 and have been implemented in recent years during holiday weekends. Alcohol is prohibited year-round for the stretch of the American River between Discovery Park and Paradise Beach, which is south of Cal Expo and north of Sacramento State.
