Palm Springs votes to end COVID-19 local emergency
The Palm Springs City Council voted to end the local emergency for COVID-19 after nearly three years.
The action removes the city's authority to issue emergency orders. It also removes the city's ability to receive possible state and federal funding to support the City’s emergency efforts would go away.
Councilmember Christy Holstege noted during the meeting that it sounds like the city was able to apply to all state and federal funds possibly available to the city.
California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency will end on February 28.
Councilmembers also voted to keep third-party food delivery restrictions and continue teleconferencing by council members and board/commission members, both of which came about due to the pandemic.
The Food Delivery Ordinance was established in Oct. 2020. It came about as a result of increasing
use of those food delivery services during the COVID pandemic, as well as concerns that some food delivery services might be gouging customers and restaurants.
Ordinance No. 2033 prohibits the following:
- A food delivery service from charging a customer a purchase price that is higher than the price set by the restaurant on the app or the menu.
- Any food delivery service from charging a restaurant a delivery fee that totals more than fifteen percent (15%) of the purchase price of each online order.
- Food delivery services from charging the restaurant more than five percent (5%) of the purchase price for the establishment’s use of the delivery service.
- A food delivery service from retaining any portion that is designated by the customer as a tip for the driver.
The ordinance will continue indefinitely, although Councilmembers Ron De Harte and Holstege raised some concerns about enforcement that he would like to be brought back up for discussion.
The council also voted to keep rules allowing for teleconferencing for city meetings to remain in place, however, Mayor Grace Garner stressed the importance of attending in-person.
The rule will remain in place until Jan. 1, 2024, as the city will monitor how other California cities will vote
