The Avalon City Council unanimously agreed to have staff request a variance from the county and state governments to advance reopening of local businesses.
Council members differed on the timing of reopening hotels to non-essential travel.
However, the approved version of the proposed variance would ask that hotels and vacation rentals be allowed to reopen June 1. A copy of the document will be available on the city website.
City Attorney Scott Campbell said the council should note that state law has in the past made special exemptions for Avalon because the city is on an island.
Assistant City Manager Michael Parmer told the council during a special May 27 meeting that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has decided not to accept variances from the city. According to Parmer, the Board of Supervisors made that decision the previous day.
Instead, Parmer said the board of Supervisors would seek countywide variations.
That said, Parmer argued that Avalon has a strong case to make. He later indicated that Avalon would submit the variance request to the state government.
Parmer said the city has attested that Avalon has not had any additional cases. He said Avalon has had no deaths and no acute cases.
Parmer said the Catalina Island Medical Center needs to have (and apparently has) the capacity to test six individuals a day.
During public comment, several individuals spoke in favor of opening the hotels.
Steve Grey said he didn’t think it was worth it to open restaurants unless people are allowed to come into them. (Some mainland communities are allowing in-person dining subject to restrictions.)
He urged the council to let people come in. He also requested tables on the beach in the evening.
However, Fire Chief Mike Krug said outdoor dining on Front Street (Crescent Street) is a fire code violation. He latter suggested allowing outdoor dining at locations that were approved for outdoor dining prior to the pandemic.
Bob Kennedy said Avalon had a financial crisis. Kennedy said there was no sense in opening restaurants and hotels without visitors.
Kathleen Carlisle said it didn’t hurt to ask, referring to the variance request.
However, she described the local COVID-19 data as “misleading.” She pointed out that one of Catalina’s two COVID-19 patients had been sent to the mainland.
Councilmember Ponce said admitting a COVID patient into a hospital means that they need to be on a ventilator. He said only a serious case would be admitted to a hospital. He confirmed that one case was sent to the mainland.
In response to email comments raising concerns that the disease might reach the Island, Councilmember Cinde MacGugan-Cassidy said the city was not going to keep COVID from coming to Avalon closed its doors.
Mayor Anni Marshall said she believed the city should move up the opening of hotels and vacation rentals.
Marshall said she thought outdoor dining and dining on patios were different things.
Parmer indicated those matters could be treated separately.
Cassidy favored outdoor dining.
Councilmember Lisa Lavelle suggested allowing patio dining along with retail dining.
However, Councilmember Yesenia De La Rosa pointed out that they had just opened the harbor. De La Rosa expressed the opinion that the city should take more time.
Marshall said: “The people are not coming.”
Cassidy said there was no possible way that there would be 100% occupancy on the island.
De La Rosa said she would like to wait for hotels to open in Stage 3, arguing that would only be in a couple of weeks.
As to the issue of essential travel, Parmer said the state’s stay at home order is still in place.
“We are not aware of any case that has been prosecuted by the state,” said City Attorney Campbell.
