On April 6, Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes issued two new sets of emergency orders designed to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on residents and businesses within the city. All of the emergency orders in their entirety were discussed by Vancouver City Council members during their regularly scheduled meeting the evening of April 6. The meeting was conducted remotely.
The first new order – Emergency Order No. 2020-07:
Suspends collection of city business license fees and business license fee surcharges.
Allows the Vancouver Farmers Market to resume operations with required safety measures in place to mitigate the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19.
Puts measures in place that will ensure city water and sewer utility customers don’t have their service disconnected due to lack of payment, waives late payment fees, and allows use of payment plans for outstanding balances.
Provides city funding for its Help to Other (H20) program, which helps qualifying low income water and sewer utility customers pay their bills. This program is typically funded by private community donations.
Council members briefly discussed the part of the order that suspends collection of city business license fees and business license fee surcharges.
“I’m actually really encouraged by the fact that we’re trying to do what we can for our small businesses, and other businesses in the city,” said Councilor Sarah Fox. “I’m fully in favor of this and moving forward.”
The rest of the council members all agreed that they appreciated the quick response and decisive actions taken by the city manager in order to support local businesses.
Discussion on the Vancouver Farmers Market resuming operations with required safety measure in place to mitigate the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19 lasted a bit longer.
The Downtown Vancouver Farmers Market had an original start date of March 21 this year, which of course has been postponed due to COVID-19. However, farmers markets have been deemed as essential, as they are similar to grocery stores and provide a way to purchase produce and other foods.
The Vancouver Farmers Market COVID-19 Phase One Operations Plan, as provided to the city of Vancouver, states that Gov. Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order listed farmers markets and the businesses they support as “essential businesses” to be open during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“In light of this designation, and in response to the current grocery store shortages and expected overall food supply shortages coming this summer, it is our goal to be open as soon as possible while taking steps to protect the health and safety of all involved,” the plan states. “We worked directly with Clark County Public Health for over a month to develop a plan for the VFM to operate safely. We are also working with WA State DOH on statewide policies for markets and small businesses. We have taken their guidance, as well as best practices from heavily hit metro areas like New York and San Francisco who continue to operate and even expand their markets, to continue to refine our strategy.”
Under this new plan laid out by the Vancouver Farmers Market, the market will look and function much different than normal:
Enforcing Social Distancing
- Vendors will be spaced 10 feet apart and the market will provide a tape barrier, when appropriate to signal to customers to only enter the market at the designated entrance. The market will have staff designated to monitor the market entrance and ensure customers comply.
- Vendors restricted to Esther Street changes number of vendor booths from 167 to 34, an 80% reduction to the market, scaling back the number of farmers and food producer’s customers can purchase from.
- Each business will have someone designated as a “social distance monitor” to actively manage booth space.
- Business will take measures to ensure appropriate distancing (marks on ground, extra tables between them and customers, limiting customers at businesses).
- “Social Distance Monitors” in the market will address issues as needed and educate shoppers.
- Vendors asked to use non-contact purchasing (i.e. pre-packaged products, online orders to be picked up).
- No product sampling will be allowed.
- Queuing areas set up at market entrances on 6th and 8th Streets, for customers to stage 6 feet apart, should market become too full to allow appropriate distancing.
- The 415-space parking lot will be used if needed. There will be a drop box for optional donations with a staff person monitoring the box. No change will be made/ no conversion of bills, and no personal contact will be made with drivers.
Elimination of “nonessential” elements to market
- No educational programs, live music, eating or congregating areas.
- No dogs, except service dogs will be allowed.
- Only businesses with products deemed “essential” under Governor Inslee’s executive order, will be allowed.
- Additional Sanitation
- Extra hand washing and hand sanitizer stations available for customers and vendors.
- All vendors will have individual hand washing stations for their use.
- Sanitation solution used on touchable surfaces between transactions.
- Extra signage at all entrances and throughout market reminding of social distancing rules and safe practices.
The plan for the Vancouver Farmers Market is still evolving, and an opening date has not yet been set. In the meantime, residents can check the Vancouver Farmers Market website, vancouverfarmersmarket.com, for updates. Those who visit the website can also shop the virtual market and/or donate to the Vancouver Farmers Market Vendor Hardship Fund.
