Officials ask for OK to reopen eateries

Restaurants in Aspen and Pitkin County could open with one-third capacity indoors as early as May 20, while hotels and lodges will be able to begin hosting guests May 28, the county’s health board decided Thursday.

In addition, second homeowners will no longer have to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in town and will be expected to follow the same local protocols as residents.

Based on a proposal from Aspen Mayor Torre, members of the Board of Health took somewhat of a gamble Thursday and decided to pursue a strategy that involves applying to the state of Colorado for a variance from the current safer-at-home public health order.

Mesa County applied for and received a variance in late April from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that allowed restaurants, gyms and places of worship to open on a limited basis.

Pitkin County and Aspen’s application to the state will ask that restaurants be allowed to open inhouse dining May 20 at 30% capacity, the health board decided. In addition to the Board of Health, the proposal must be approved by Pitkin County commissioners and the Aspen Valley Hospital Board.

Those boards will meet on an emergency basis if necessary to address the variance question.

Pitkin County’s new public health order, which goes into effect Saturday, implements Phase 1 openings, including retail, child care and gatherings up to 10 people.

That order will run through May 27, the end of the state’s safer-at-home order, the board decided Thursday.

Aspen hotels and lodges can begin taking reservations and hosting guests at 35% capacity May 28, the board decided.

The lodging rules do not include short-term rentals like Airbnb, which is being considered in a separate category.