Displaying items by tag: phase 3

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Indoor dining experiences, nail and spa treatments and a variety of other personal care businesses and services may soon reopen to the public. 

 “Phase three” reopening activities are slated to take place in the region June 17. Eligibility for reopening is determined by health metrics, and as long as regional COVID-19 related infections, hospitalizations and deaths remain low, it is anticipated Gov. Andrew Cuomo may give the Capital Region the green light for “phase 3” early next week. 

“We’re not out of the woods, but we are on the other side,” Cuomo said this week. Five regions in the state outside of the Capital Region were given the green light for phase three reopening on June 11.

Gov. Cuomo’s NY Pause order went into effect March 22, and the city of Saratoga Springs and the greater Capital District Region were cleared by the state to begin the phase 1 re-opening of the local economy beginning Wednesday, May 20. Capital Region’s phase two reopening plan went into effect on June 3.

The sector designated as the Capital Region includes eight counties. They are: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Warren, and Washington counties. 

There are four reopening phases in all, and an up-to 14-day incubation period between phases to ensure that infection rates and hospitalizations are maintained at a manageable level. Phase three is slated for June 17 and phase four, which focuses on Arts/ Entertainment / Recreation, and Education, including libraries, will potentially hit its reopening mark July 1.

Recent actions include the reopening of outdoor dining at restaurants, as well as places of worship - with 25 percent allowable occupancy. Beginning June 26 outdoor graduations of up to 150 people will be allowed. Additionally, the New York State sales tax filing deadline has been extended to June 22.

Social distancing protocols apply throughout all four phases – that is, that people maintain a distance of six feet apart when possible, and face coverings be worn to decrease the potential spread of the virus. 

Phase three showcases restaurants and food services establishments reopening their indoor spaces for the seating of customers. Indoor capacity must be limited to no more than 50% of maximum occupancy, exclusive of employees, and all tables with seating for customers must be separated by a minimum of 6 feet in all directions. Wherever distancing is not feasible between tables, physical barriers – at least five feet in height - must be enacted between the tables. 

Additionally, patrons must wear face coverings at all times, except while seated, provided that the patron is over the age of 2 and able to medically tolerate such covering. There is a maximum of 10 people per table. 

Also included in phase three: non-hair-related personal care businesses and services. This includes tattoo and piercing facilities, appearance enhancement practitioners, massage therapy, spas, cosmetology, nail specialty, UV and non-UV tanning, or waxing. Mandatory occupancy restrictions, distancing and mask requirements apply. For more information about the phases of reopening, requirements and gudelines, go to: ny.gov.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Summertime in Saratoga may feature new dimensions in the outdoor dining experience. Literally. 

In an effort to help downtown businesses increase customer capacity while remaining compliant to COVID-19 restrictions, the city is exploring a variety of possibilities that would allow its merchants to expand their businesses across city sidewalks. 

The City Council is expected to address the matter at its Tuesday, June 16 meeting - immediately preceded by a public hearing at 6:55 p.m.   

A working draft of a proposal that will be presented to the council is being crafted this week. 

“Right now, the draft is basically allowing businesses to use the sidewalk as long as it’s ADA compliant – which is 48 inches for people to walk back and forth,” Accounts Commissioner John Franck said on June 9, one week prior to the meeting. Specifically, the measure would allow restaurants and other establishments to expand their outdoor spaces onto sidewalks, as long as 48 inches of pedestrian walkway is maintained, as per Americans with Disabilities Act regulations. 

“We want to see how that affects things. Is that going to move the needle for the restaurants one way or another? Do we need to do more?” said Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton. 

With summer approaching and some, but not all, state mandated restrictions related to COVID-19 being lifted, the idea of municipalities and businesses seeking creative ways to reopen the economy is a fluid one. Between this week and next week those creative options may change. Another idea being floated involves eliminating one lane of parking on city side streets to expand even greater the usable spaces for businesses.      

“A second option would be to look at the side streets, take one lane of parking away from the side streets and put up Jersey barriers between the parking lane and the driving lane,” Commissioner Dalton explained. That move would allow the current parking lane to become a barriered pedestrian walkway, and free existing sidewalks in their entirety for vendors and restaurants to use. Jersey barriers are concrete partitions and are so-named because of their notable use as median barriers in the late 1940s in New Jersey. 

Commissioner Franck has been leading the charge for the second option. “I’m hoping and really pushing for the change to also have the ability to add some of the street space – not close streets down – but to put barriers down that would allow more area in front of businesses – especially restaurants and bars – to give you more space for walking area and also in front of your restaurant, bar, or retail,” Franck said.   

“It’s evolving, and I don’t know if the votes are there for it, but why not just put a Jersey barrier out there along one side of the street. This isn’t for the next 20 years; later we could go back to business as usual, but the summer’s here – let’s get this done,” he said.

It is not clear whether that second measure may also be part of the June 16 meeting, but a majority of Council members – at least three of five member votes – are required to approve the proposal for it to take effect.   

That installation of barriers would be for a temporary period – perhaps only through the summer – but they would stay in place throughout the period of implementation. In other words, they wouldn’t be removed and re-inserted on a daily basis, or in accordance with business hours. And while they would only be placed on certain blocks in the downtown business core – and not on Broadway – their implementation could extend to both the east and west side of the city. 

As to which side streets the barriers would specifically be installed needs to be figured out. “It’s not like we’re going to impose it on everyone. The code would be re-written such that if the need is there, it’s something we can do.  We want to take logical steps,” Dalton said.

The Public Hearing will begin at 6:55 p.m. Two agenda items later into the meeting address the matter. The chapter amendment may be viewed HERE and a draft of the licensing process may be viewed HERE.