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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date:May 26, 2020 Item No.:7.a Department ApprovalCity Manager Approval Item Description:Adopt a Resolution approving temporary waivers to certain City Code requirements to promote physical and social distancing for business and faith organization activities during the COVID-19 health pandemic 1 B ACKGROUND 2 March 13, 2020: Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-01 declaring a Peace Time 3 Emergency and Coordinating Minnesota’s Strategy to Protect Minnesotans from COVID-19. 4 March 16, 2020:Mayor Roe issued a proclamation declaring a Local Emergency in recognition of 5 the community risk posed by COVID-19 and the City Council adopted Resolution 11681 formalizing 6 the Local Emergency declaration and invoking the City’s emergency management plan authorizing 7 appropriate response strategies to the pandemic. 8 May 11, 2020: The City Council adopted Resolution 11695 extending the Local Emergency to 9 coincide until such time the State of Minnesota peacetime state emergency declaration is rescinded 10 and the City Council rescinds the local emergency by resolution. 11 May 20, 2020: Governor Tim Walz announced the phases of his Stay Safe Plan allowing limited 12 outdoor dining at restaurants and bars starting on June 1, 2020. As part of this announcement, the 13 Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove called 14 for “innovative solutions as we navigate a new normal, support our favorite businesses and ensure the 15 safety of workers and customers”. 16 As the City Councilis well aware, the COVID-19 health pandemic has caused unprecedented impacts 17 to our economy due to the number of businesses that were required to close in order to protect the 18 public’s health by stopping the spread of COVID-19. The pandemic has also negatively impacted our 19 faith organizations, who have been unable to reach their congregations and offer support through 20 traditional means. 21 Governor Walz has established a Stay Safe Plan outlining a process to safely reopen our economy and 22 return to work andactivities while continuing to practice social distancing to save lives and keep st 23 people safe. Beginning on June 1, Minnesota will enter Phase II of the Governor’s Stay Safe Plan, 24 which allows restaurants and bars to provide outdoor dining at a capacitynot to exceed 50 customers 25 per establishment,while practicing social distancing. In recognition,this expansion falls short of what 26 many businesseswere hoping for;the Governor and DEED Commissioner have implored cities to be 27 creative and innovative insupporting businesses who wish to establish temporary outdoor dining and 28 customer areas. 29 In that effort, many cities are issuing policies or temporary orders that waive certain City Code 30 requirements in support of these outdoor business activities. To date, staff is aware of the following Page 1of 3