Gig Harbor City Council extends ordinance allowing businesses to use outdoor spaces
The Gig Harbor City Council voted to extend an ordinance allowing for businesses, such as restaurants, to utilize outdoor spaces during COVID-19. The ordinance was first passed on July 27 and was set to expire the last day of the year.
The council voted to extend the ordinance until the end of 2021 or 90 days after the statewide COVID emergency order is lifted, whichever comes first. The vote was 6-1 with Council Member Jim Franich as the sole dissenting vote.
At the Nov. 23 meeting, 7 Seas co-owner Mike Runion told the council that “continued outdoor seating flexibility is an incredibly imperative piece that is allowing our business to continue.”
“We are not in a recovery mode, we are still in the midst of a pandemic and these small lifelines are what are allowing many local independent businesses to thread along and continue to survive,” Runion said.
Runion told The Gateway following the meeting that the extension was a victory, albeit a small one.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Runion said. “This may require more extensions in the future, just depending on how things evolve. I think it was a great step forward, but probably not the last one they’ll do to discuss this before we’re in a good place.”
Runion said he can’t predict exactly how his business will do, but he will abide by mandates while continuing to operate as much as is allowed.
“On this particular topic, it’s helpful to be able to utilize outdoor seating,” Runion said. “The city isn’t really giving up anything except for allowing for flexibility. I think that’s the very least they could do.”
The extension came as many other Gig Harbor businesses are facing down closures that are likely to extend into the new year.
There is also little optimism around potential additional funding even as most of the federal CARES Act funding is nearly depleted.
“I think the challenge is to look to the county, the state, and the federal government to step in and give businesses some hope,” Runion said. “I don’t think there is any hope right now that there is going to be assistance.”
For now, businesses like 7 Seas will have to operate outdoors using heated patios with take-out options or not at all.
About that airport
The council also heard a presentation by Josh Brown, executive director of the Puget Sound Regional Council, who sought to allay concerns about a possible expansion of Tacoma Narrows Airport, which is on the periphery of Gig Harbor. The airport is one six identified by a federally-funded PSRC study as meeting the basic minimums for commercial passenger service.
Brown acknowledged that he had received a letter and resolution from the council asking that he remove the Narrows location from any recommendation, which he said he would do.
Brown discussed his work on an airport study and said any recommendation about the Tacoma Narrows airport expansion is “outside the scope of their work” as they are “looking at all airports in the region.”
Brown said “they are not making recommendations” or “policy” and that they are just looking to the future based on data. The data indicate the demand for commercial aviation in the Puget Sound area will increase, Brown said, even allowing for the decrease due to the pandemic.
Brown told The Gateway in a previous interview that Tacoma Narrows was an unlikely candidate for expansion due to its short runway, limited space and potential for traffic congestion.
In other business, the Gig Harbor City Council:
Announced a new police officer, McKenzie Fosberg, has been hired and that another officer will start Monday.
Conducted a first reading of the 2021 budget with various amendments being passed to provide tablets for council members, conduct a survey about potential Prentice Avenue Sidewalks, survey city employees over engagement, and add two full time employees to the Public Works Department.
Reach Chase Hutchinson at chase.hutchinson@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 12:31 PM.
