BOISE, Idaho — The same day Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced an end to the stay-at-home order, moving the state into the first stage of the governor's reopening plan, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said Thursday that the city is also moving into the first phase of its own reopening plan on May 1.
That means the resumption of some city operations and services that were shut down in March as COVID-19, the illness associated with the novel coronavirus, began to spread in Ada County and other parts of Idaho.
Planning and Zoning and other commission meetings that were put on hold earlier in the spring will resume, but only remotely, using videoconferencing such as Zoom. There will be opportunities for public testimony.
Maintenance and restoration work at city parks, the airport and other city facilities will begin to increase as phase one gets underway.
Also reopening, the first wave at Whitewater Park and Warm Springs Golf Course, with restrictions.
"I want to thank our citizens our residents, the businesses of this community and civic leaders and service providers. Everyone who, since early and middle March, has stepped up and sought ways to help members of their community and known that they were taking steps willingly in partnership with us as a city that would hurt them financially by staying home," McLean said. "We've all made sacrifices and done it because we understand the importance of protecting our community, especially the most vulnerable and our frontline folks that take care of us every day."
Idaho COVID-19 latest: Latest news | Map of confirmed Idaho cases | Gov. Little’s plan to reopen Idaho in stages | Stay-at-home order details | COVID-19 resources | Testing sites | Employers hiring | Essential business list | Closings | School closings | Help nonprofits| Golf info | Full COVID-19 coverage
A document on the city website describes the framework of the phases of reopening in detail.
The city is not in lockstep with every detail of the state plan. For one, there are no dates attached to the phases.
On the city website, language related to the fifth and final stage states that the city will not completely return to "status quo" with no restrictions until a COVID-19 vaccine is available.
"The governor's order today is a good one," McLean said. "In our city where we have more people, where we have an airport, where we have a different set of needs expectations and density."
McLean has signed a public health order requiring social distancing of at least six feet apart for the next 30 days, essentially through the month of May. The order has the backing of the Boise City Council.
At the Boise Airport, restrictions on the number of people allowed inside the terminal will continue through May.
"If you're leaving or arriving, if for various reasons you need to (be in the airport), accompanying someone who is leaving or arriving, but we're asking others to stay out of the building while you wait to pick up your loved ones," McLean said.
People are advised to wear masks while out in public, including at city parks.
City staff have been discussing issues with people gathering in large numbers, particularly at Quinn's Pond and Esther Simplot Park, and not following social distancing guidelines.
The city has emphasized education rather than enforcement of social distancing in the parks and on trails.
Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway said if education efforts don't help resolve the issues, the city could close the beach areas along the ponds.
"I'm going to say that, where we have teeth, in terms of providing permits, allowing people in groups to use the parks, we will not be allowing that to happen," McLean said. "And we will continue to educate as much as we can."
City swimming pools will not reopen at all in 2020.
As for park playgrounds, they are not expected to reopen until phase three.
One big unknown is the status of major events coming up in the fall, such as Boise State football and Treefort Music Fest, which typically happens in March, but has been postponed until late September.
McLean said unless health data for Boise indicates a big difference compared to the statewide average, she does not anticipate much of a departure from the state reopening plan, which would begin to allow large events in July barring a spike in coronavirus cases.
"It's too soon to tell what the fall looks like. It's my sincerest hope that if we do everything well this summer, in the fall we'll be able to have larger gatherings, but we just don't know," McLean said. "I imagine that all of us will be looking at the progress we make in the movement through these stages. The impact that the stages and the reopening has had, and then weigh what we can do in September and beyond.
"This virus has, you know, taught us all that there's only so much we can know and plan for, and you hope for the events that are scheduled. But we all need to recognize that, you know, things could change quickly, and we need to be be ready to react at that point if necessary."
The City of Boise is regularly posting online updates and other coronavirus-related information.
RELATED: Boise trails, many other open spaces remain open, but monitoring of social distance to increase
At KTVB, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. To see our full coverage and the latest COVID-19 case numbers, visit our coronavirus section here: www.ktvb.com/coronavirus
