During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Ripon allowed businesses such as restaurants to operate outdoors via a temporary waiver under certain Ripon Municipal Code requirements.

Some opted for sidewalk dining while others put up tent structures and awnings that occupied on-street parking spaces.

The temporary waiver, which was set to expire on Oct. 31 — this comes as a result of Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order that calls for rescinding all restrictions and businesses, including all aspects of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy — voted in favor of extending that deadline to Nov. 30 at last Tuesday's meeting.

Councilman Tim Wheeler said that rescinding the order could affect businesses currently using these temporary waivers.

"New changes to the current order would need to be addressed before the (Oct. 31) deadline," he said.

Wheeler added concerns about having modifications in place in the event that the State enforces another shutdown given the current spread of the delta variant.

Mayor Daniel de Graaf mentioned the possibility of the Ripon Municipal Code being changed rather than rely on the current emergency ordinance. "There may be things that the Council may want to keep," he said.

Councilman Leo Zuber said the Oct. 31 date, at this point, was problematic.

"Even if an ordinance was introduced now, it would not take effect until November 2021," he said.

Added City Attorney Tom Terpstra: "It would have to be another urgency ordinance bookended with a regular ordinance."

Like an emergency ordinance, an urgency ordinance goes into effect immediately, Terpstra noted.

Zuber also wanted data on how businesses were doing Pre-COVID during February 2020 as compared to now. "If people want a change in the Code they would need to provide data to the Council to consider soon," he said.

According to Planning Director Ken Zuidervaart, the resolution that went before Council included all businesses, not just outdoor dining.

"If Council wants to change the Code, an ordinance needs to be brought back addressing this specific issue of outdoor dining — Council can push the effective date out of the resolution," he added.

Judith Valenzuela took over A Matter of Taste Bistro & Wine Bar, with her outdoor structure taking up several parking spaces.

Some of the businesses are against this usage given the ongoing parking issues in downtown.

Valenzuela indicated that the awnings on the temporary structure were put up after initially putting up umbrellas which were blown over from wind gusts. She's noticed an increase in business along with her staff growing from four employees to 10.

Other business owners are hoping that the City, in making possible changes to the ordinance, will not favor one business over the other.

A Parking Committee for downtown is being put together in search of long-term goals.

By extending the deadline date from October to November, Zuber said it would allow more time for all.

Mayor de Graaf agreed. "This will allow for more time to address the issues," he said