City Enacts Emergency Order Allowing More Businesses To Operate Outdoors

The City of Clovis has enacted an emergency order that will allow businesses to expand their operations into public and private outdoor spaces. The order comes in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement of new closure orders for some businesses.

“In response to the Governor’s actions closing indoor operations for a variety of business sectors, the City of Clovis is taking action today to help these businesses and their employees survive, while continuing operating safely and legally,” the City of Clovis said in its announcement of the order. 

Businesses will be able to apply for a temporary waiver allowing them to operate their business in outdoor space that was previously unavailable to them. This includes sidewalks, parking lots and streets. 

“The Governor’s move today poses another huge hurdle for Clovis businesses,” Andy Haussler, the Community & Economic Development Director for Clovis said in the city’s press release.

“We hope that our quick action to provide Clovis businesses a safe, permitted outdoor option gives them a fighting chance to survive, continue to pay employees, and serve their customers,” Haussler added. 

Businesses that are interested in applying for the waiver are encouraged to contact Haussler by phone at 559-324-2095 or by email at AndrewH@CityofClovis.com.

Earlier in the crisis, the City Council enacted a similar emergency order that allowed restaurants to operate in some public and private spaces. This latest order, though, gives that option to a much broader stretch of businesses.

The decision drew praise from State Senator Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno), who encouraged other cities to take similar action as a way of keeping businesses open, while also mitigating potential health risks. 

“Learning from other cities like [San Diego], city and county leaders should consider authorizing restaurants and other businesses to expand outdoors. In our own backyard, for example, the [City of Clovis] recently enacted an emergency order permitting businesses to use adjacent public and private spaces to expand their operations,” Borgeas wrote in a Twitter post. 

“These actions protect public health & the economy by allowing businesses to function in an open-air environment. As long as businesses & employees follow health and safety protocols, county and city governments should waive permits and allow businesses to operate outdoors,” the Senator said in a series of posts.

To view the city’s emergency order, click here.