Poway City Council Votes To End COVID-19 Emergency

POWAY — The Poway City Council unanimously approved a resolution formally ending the nearly three-year emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic on Feb. 28, in concurrence with the state.

The resolution was passed as part of the consent agenda during council's Feb 21 meeting.

The only comments came from a resident asking about the continued use of picnic tables for outdoor dining and Mayor Steve Vaus praising the city's actions during the pandemic.

Council members voted to enact a local emergency declaration on March 18, 2020, as COVID-19 cases increased in San Diego County.

An emergency declaration allows a local government to apply for state or federal funding to defray unexpected costs. According the city resolution, "for all the same reasons cited by the state of California in allowing the statewide state of emergency to expire, the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided to the point of a local state of emergency no longer being required, necessary or appropriate."

In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the COVID-19 emergency would end on Feb. 28. Last month, the San Diego City Council formally approved the same end date, with the county Board of Supervisors following suit during its Feb. 7 meeting.

To help Poway residents during the pandemic, the City Council in 2020 approved a moratorium on commercial evictions, an emergency loan program for small businesses, making picnic tables available to restaurants to expand outdoor dining, and temporary use of public parks for local fitness groups and worship activities.

City News Service