Marysville considers move to accommodate doing business outside

Marysville officials are considering suspending certain fees to make way for businesses to expand their establishments outdoors to allow for continued operations following the most recent state mandate regarding COVID-19.

City Council members will discuss suspending encroachment permit fees during their meeting on July 21.

“The idea is to suspend the cost of securing an encroachment permit so that small businesses can easily allow for outside dining and vending on city sidewalks, as well as occupy the parking

spaces immediately adjacent to the businesses while complying with social distancing,” said City Manager Marti Brown.

After the Yuba-sutter area was placed on the state’s monitoring list this month due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the area, certain restrictions were put in place significantly modifying the operations for most businesses.

Bars were required to close altogether. Indoor operations for places like restaurants, family entertainment businesses, malls and other nonessential businesses were also restricted, leaving those businesses with limited options. The state mandate will stay in place for at least three weeks.

In Marysville, businesses must purchase an initial encroachment permit for $85 and pay either $30 per day or $95 per week to expand their business into the public rightof-way. By suspending those fees, Brown said, it will result in savings of approximately $465 a month for restaurants and other businesses interested in continuing operations outdoors.

“In addition, city staff are working to secure other funding to provide small business grants to help defray the cost of complying with the governor’s orders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Brown said. “Once the city has secured the funding, grants may be used for outdoor furniture and furnishings, (personal protective equipment), creating safe and solid barriers to bifurcate outdoor dining areas located in parking spaces from city streets so that patrons are safe from vehicular traffic.”

The Marysville City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. To watch the virtual meeting, visit https://marysville.ca.us/.