Solvang’s newest City Council members don’t agree with the former council’s stance on the state’s increased COVID-19 restrictions, stating on Dec. 14 that they did not support the former City Council’s emergency decision on Dec. 7 to defy such orders.
During the Dec. 14 Solvang City Council meeting, the former council accepted the results of the Nov. 3 election and welcomed newly elected Councilmembers Mark Infanti, Claudia Orona, and Mayor Charlie Uhrig.
The new council, save for Councilmembers Robert Clarke and Jim Thomas, came with a different take on the former council’s decision to continue abiding by the state’s purple tier safety guidelines and dismiss the state’s increased restrictions.
“I think in general it was a poor decision,” Infanti said on Dec. 14, adding that it painted the city of Solvang in a negative light in recent news coverage.
City Manager Xenia Bradford said Santa Barbara County Public Health Officials had alerted businesses about the repercussions of not following the stay-at-home orders to cease outdoor dining service—allowing customers to sit on their outdoor furniture to eat. Bradford said that public health officials were in the area two days after the Dec. 7 decision, asking that area businesses put away or remove outdoor furniture. Business that didn’t comply could face a citation of up to $5,000 or lose their license for up to one year.
The City Council’s Dec. 7 decision offered businesses the option of having a public space lease agreement, where businesses could lease the outdoor dining portion of their property to the city on a month-to-month basis for $1. Solvang also offered businesses a rental agreement for privately owned furniture located on city property for the same cost. So far, no businesses have applied to participate.
Bradford told the council on Dec. 14 that the Dec. 7 decision could affect the city’s qualification for future direct state or federal aid relating to COVID-19.
City Attorney Chip Wullbrandt clarified that the city’s previous emergency action doesn’t supersede Santa Barbara County, state of California, or California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control authority. Wullbradnt said that while the city had decided not to use its resources to enforce the recent orders, the county is responsible for enforcing Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control rules regarding COVID-19.
Councilmember Clarke, who voted in support of the Dec. 7 decision, remained largely silent during the Dec. 14 discussion, however Councilmember Thomas defended his vote in favor of it.
“My intent was, I think all of our intent was, not to encourage that our businesses go out and break the law. Our intent was, after talking to the council, was to offer an opportunity within the law that they would be able to continue their businesses,” Thomas said.
Uhrig said he agreed with the city’s Dec. 7 decision to join the petition asking the state to removing Santa Barbara County from the Southern California categorization on the state’s regional map. However, Uhrig said he didn’t agree with the council’s decision “to go a step further where we’re saying ‘disobey orders.’”
He applauded businesses and restaurants for following the rules that are in place for everyone’s safety, and he urged the community to continue wearing a mask and observing social distancing, keep meetings to a minimum, and support local businesses.
“I think for a few dollars to make for three weeks is not worth anyone’s life. Given the numbers that are going on right now, everything is going up, and we’re breaking records every single day. Until we can get this thing beat, I really believe wholeheartedly that we need to follow the public health directors’ directives,” Uhrig said. “It would break my heart if we didn’t have as many people next year because of what we did this time now.”
This article appears in Dec 17-24, 2020.