State Approves Santa Cruz County Variance: More Businesses Allowed to Reopen

The California Department of Public Health has approved the Santa Cruz County's request for a variance from the base-level restrictions associated with Stage 2 of California's Resilience Roadmap. Effective immediately, with certain expections outlined in a supplemental SC County Health Order, the Health Officer authorizes all business operations and activities allowed by the state of California in Stage 2 with an approved variance to resume. For up-to-date guidance on what business operations and activities are allowed in Stage 2 with a variance, please see the guidance set forth here (link) and here (link). Businesses are advised to carefully review State Orders and guidance to determine whether their business falls within the confines of the State Orders such that they can legally reopen. Those businesses that do not fall within those confines are prohibited from reopening and are subject to citation for violation of this Order if they open prematurely.

Businesses allowed to open for in-person activity include:

• Essential Businesses
• Retail (with relaxed modifications)
• Logistics and Manufacturing
• Dine-in Restaruants
• Schools and Childcare (subject to County determination) 
• Personal Services (car washes, pet grooming, tanning, hair salons)
• Malls and Swap-meets
• Office-based Businesses (telework still encouraged)
• Outdooor Museums

With the State's approval of Santa Cruz County's variance application, the State still has ultimate authority over which sectors can open and when. At this time, a variance county (such as Santa Cruz) can elect to open a given sector so long as (1) the State has issued guidance for how a given sector can reopen and (2) the local health officer has provided approval for that sector to open in that locality. If the state has not yet released guidance for a sector, then that sector cannot yet be opened.

To read the County's press release regarding the approval of this variance, click here or use the link below. 

To read the full supplemental Santa Cruz County Health Order, click here or use the link below. 

The Santa Cruz County daily beach closure from 11am to 5pm is still in effect. The facial covering Order is also still in effect.