Palm Springs hosts webinar to clarify rules on reopening restaurants, retail and salons

The city of Palm Springs hosted a webinar for residents Thursday morning discussing the regulations for the reopening of restaurants, retail and hair salons/barbershops.

Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors, Police Chief Bryan Reyes and City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger led the discussion via Zoom. 

They first reminded residents that Palm Springs still has its own set of rules when it comes to face coverings and social distancing: both are still required in public at all times, regardless of county or state orders. 

“The CDC has recommended face coverings, the state has recommended face coverings, but the city is requiring face coverings,” said Ballinger. 

Ballinger also answered questions and clarified the rules for reopening specific businesses.

For restaurants, single-use menus, a lack of shared table items and tables spaced six feet apart are the new norm. And they say restaurants shouldn’t be serving alcohol without food in the same transaction. 

Police Chief Reyes encouraged restaurant owners to enforce the face covering requirement at the door: “You’re less likely to get into a confrontation if you let them know what’s understood right at the door before they come into your business.” 

For retail shop owners, they say face coverings must be worn by both employees and customers inside. Hand sanitizers should be in every store. Similar policies go for hair salons. 

These strict rules are in place for the time being to keep infections low, according to Kors, in hopes of gaining the stats needed to reopen more of the economy soon: “The more we can do to send the message that this is a safe place...not only will more people go out and go to restaurants and retail and go to get their haircut and other things...it will get more open sooner,” he said.

To watch the webinar in full, click here.