Fresno council to consider a revised gathering rule, official says. Here’s what’s new
The Fresno City Council will discuss a revised ordinance related to gatherings two days after a separate controversial order was pulled from discussion, according to Councilmember Luis Chavez.
The new version of the proposed order gives the city leeway to enforce coronavirus safety orders for large backyard gatherings or concerts if the number of intensive care unit beds continue to dwindle in Fresno County, according to the resolution.
With Fresno County continuing to set new records for coronavirus cases each day, the number of intensive care beds across hospitals countywide has effectively reduced to zero.
The resolution was not on the agenda for a special 12:30 p.m. Thursday meeting, but Chavez said he expects it to be placed on the agenda. Emergency meetings only require an hour of public notice to place items on the agenda.
An earlier version of the ordinance allowed code enforcement to write citations for gatherings of 15 or more people. The new version does not have a specific number and does not mention citations.
Chavez said he has had close to 10 complaints in his district for large backyard parties that mimicked a bar setting, including a live band. He said other districts have received similar complaints. That type of gathering was meant to be the target of the new order.
“This is really what was intended in the initial conversation. Somehow that got lost in translation with the city attorney,” he said. “That was just a mistake. We never asked for specific numbers.”
It is not uncommon in multi-generational homes to have 15 or more people living in one house so the original ordinance never made sense, according to Chavez.
The most outspoken opponent of many of the city’s COVID-19 regulations passed by the city has been Councilmember Garry Bredefeld. The proposed ordinance is no different.
“The city has been an enforcer. They have fined people over $80,000 already. Some of these businesses will never open again,” he said. “I just don’t support any of these Draconian measures.”
Bredefeld said, as he has for months, he prefers educating the public on the deadliness of the virus and allowing people to make their own decisions.
“It’s an idiotic policy,” he said. “We shouldn’t be dictating to people who should be entering their house. It’s government out of control.”
County officials have said for months that new COVID-19 cases continue to come from family gatherings.
On Monday, hospitals in Fresno County had about nine ICU beds available, and the county’s latest assessment set the remaining availability at 0%.
The new revised order also includes a request for Gov. Gavin Newsom to increase hospital beds, medical staff and the number of vaccines for Fresno County.
Councilmember Nelson Esparza noted the burden the latest wave of the virus has placed on the county’s healthcare system.
He said the ordinance is important for reinforcing the need for compliance, saying code enforcement has done its best to educate violators and only cite the most egregious cases.
“The many residents of our city who have done their part during this pandemic have saved lives, whether they realize it or not. But the smaller group of folks who continue to flout the scientific evidence are the reason we are where we are now,” he said.
“An emergency like this one requires us to act as a collective, and right now our community isn’t fully meeting that moment.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
