City manager outlines reopening milestones
With Yolo County now in the red tier, the Woodland community has been opening up, providing more ways for residents to connect as coronavirus case numbers decline and vaccination rates increase.
Yolo County was promoted to the less restrictive red tier last week, bringing with it a number of reopening opportunities.
Specifically, under these coronavirus guidelines, restaurants and movie theaters are allowed to operate indoors at 25% capacity, or 100 people — whichever is lower. Gyms can operate indoors at 10% capacity, and museums, zoos and aquariums can operate indoors at 25% capacity. Retail stores can increase their capacity from 25% to 50%.
City Manager Ken Hiatt highlighted several milestones related to this shift in the state’s tier system during Tuesday’s Woodland City Council meeting, held via Zoom.
Hiatt noted that one business taking advantage of the change was the State Theatre. The renovated downtown business is reopening on Friday after a lengthy intermission — the coronavirus pandemic caused the theater to close for nearly a year.
Hiatt also announced that the city is reopening the five fields at the Community & Senior Center. The sports turfs there were recently replaced over the winter months and will now be available “consistent with the state’s restrictions around sports activities, another big milestone for our community to get access to those fields and open up our community center fully.”
Hiatt added that the YMCA gym is also open at the community center at 10% capacity.
“These are some milestones we are reaching here towards progress,” he said.
Hiatt also mentioned that in talking with Yolo County health officials this week, that “we are actually on a good trajectory to be transitioning to the orange tier if our health metrics continue to trend the way they have over the last several months.”
In the orange tier, museums, aquariums and zoos and places of worship will be allowed to increase capacity from 25% to 50%. Movie theaters and restaurants may increase capacity from 25% to 50%, or 200 people — whichever is fewer. Fitness centers can increase indoor capacity from 10% to 25%, and indoor pools can reopen. Wineries can operate indoors at 25% capacity, or 100 people — whichever is fewer. Bars, breweries and distilleries that do not serve food will be allowed to open outdoors only. Family entertainment centers will be able to reopen indoors at 25% capacity for “naturally distanced activities,” such as bowling.
Cardrooms, satellite and wagering will be also able to operate indoors at 25% capacity in the orange tier. Offices are allowed to reopen, although telework must be encouraged. Live audience sports can begin again at 20% capacity with reservations and are only to be open to those within a 120-mile radius of the event. Smaller amusement parks will also be allowed to reopen at 25% capacity, outdoor only, with prior reservations and in-county visitors only.
“If we are at a stage where we are meeting those metrics, assuming they don’t change at the state level, we would need to be at that level for three weeks before we can transition,” Hiatt told the council.
As of Tuesday, Yolo County reported 12,722 coronavirus cases with 97,699 total people tested across the county. There have been 185 deaths. In Woodland, there have been 5,337 cases reported as of Tuesday, with 94 deaths.
Hiatt added that this transition to the orange tier could happen at the end of the month. He credited the community’s diligence to follow health and safety guidelines and the county’s vaccine rollout as reasons for this progress.
Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard concluded this report by adding in his personal opinion about the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I would like to encourage people to consider getting vaccinated,” he said. “I hope they can overcome fear and concern and just do it for the interests of the community and the country.”
Jordan Silva-Benham contributed to this report.