SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to immediately open up county-owned parks for worship and fitness activities, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob said her proposal will be a welcomed relief for houses of worship and gyms. Fitness centers were allowed to open up over a month ago, but by mid-July, indoor operations at gyms and fitness centers were closed. Many businesses owners that spoke with News 8 said they had hoped parks would open up as well so they could move their clients there.
Jacob said that restaurants have created outside dining areas on sidewalks and parking lots, in response to a ban on indoor dining, and now the county can be creative.
"Sometimes, you don't have to reinvent the wheel for a successful operation," Jacob said before the vote. "I appreciate the board's support on this."
Supervisors also voted to streamline the application process and waive permit fees for qualified applicants wanting to use park space. Under the proposal, businesses will not be allowed to interfere with the park’s activities, infrastructure, environment or rules.
Along with implementing guidelines for religious institutions and fitness groups, Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer will also report back to supervisors within 90 days about fiscal impacts caused by fee waivers, according to information on the county agenda.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports, the Parks and Recreation Department receives about $80,000 a year from places of worship and fitness businesses using park space, so if fees are waived they may not be bringing in much money. But Jacob said businesses that relocate to park spaces will still be required to pay for day-use parking and equipment rentals.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-to-2 Tuesday to approve a plan that allows a 22-member "safe reopening compliance team" to crack down on businesses refusing to follow the county's public health order. The team will focus on three types of violators, starting with the most blatant cases such as those that fail to avoid mass gatherings. The county has allocated $1.8 million to pay for the extra staff for six months.
San Diego County health officials have reported 290 new COVID-19 cases and three additional deaths, which is among the lowest numbers in the past month. The cases reported Tuesday raise the county's total caseload to 30,516 and the number of fatalities to 568. However, the number of tests the county reported Tuesday is the fewest in more than a month with just 4,168 reported. Of those, 7% returned positive; above the county's rolling 14-day average of 5.4%.