Fresno’s top health officer weighs in on Pismo’s outdoor dining debate. What he said
Fresno County’s top health official weighed in Monday on the debate surrounding Pismo’s Coastal Grill — the restaurant that has kept its dining room open, whose owner says its large garage-style roll-up windows mean it should be considered outdoor dining.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered all indoor dining to close in 19 counties where coronavirus cases are rising, including Fresno. But Pismo’s has remained open, despite at least five citations from various agencies and one employee testing positive for COVID-19.
During a news conference Monday, Dr. Rais Vohra, the county’s interim health officer, said the restaurant is considered indoor dining, despite the windows.
“As it stands now, the open windows would not be enough to consider that outdoor dining – and I know that’s a somewhat controversial statement,” he said. “As it stands, it’s still considered indoor dining.”
Vohra said he is communicating with other agencies and seeking clarification, but for now, it’s considered indoor dining.
That means that under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order last week, Pismo’s must close its dining room. It can continue to serve on its patios and add more outdoor tables beyond the patio under a recent change in city law.
Pismo’s owner Dave Fansler has maintained that his restaurant is safe. It has 84 feet of large, garage-style roll-up windows on two sides of the building that stay open.
The air conditioning is on and workers are wearing face masks and gloves, sanitizing constantly and standing 6 feet away from customers.
“I think it’s for sure one of the safest dining environments in the city,” he said.
Fansler said Monday afternoon that it was “preposterous” that the county health officer would consider his restaurant indoor dining.
“Go to other patios around town, the whole concept is not what the definition of a patio is, it’s what the definition of the access to fresh air is,” adding that some other restaurant patios in town have less airflow than at Pismo’s.
This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
