By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Though hope is on the horizon with the COVID vaccine, Bowling Green city officials realize some businesses will still be hurting for some time.
So on Tuesday evening, Mayor Mike Aspacher announced to City Council that the emergency declaration issued last year will remain in effect this year while businesses work to recover from COVID.
The emergency declaration permits businesses to provide safer spaces – including allowing more outdoor dining at local restaurants.
“It is our intent to continue to keep in place those city regulations that were modified,” Aspacher said.
The city gave restaurants the opportunity to expand their services to public sidewalks, and private parking lots.
City officials relaxed permit standards, allowing downtown restaurants to put tables out on sidewalks, as long as a walkway is maintained. The restaurants have to fill out a permit form – but the normal fee is waived.
For restaurants elsewhere in the city with their own private parking lots, the city relaxed parking standards to allow for tables to be set up in the lots. The restaurants just have to submit a sketch of the planned arrangements.
To help businesses, the city also set up reserved on-street parking for carry-out business, and have provided revolving loans for local businesses.
“We think it does provide value to a number of local businesses as they continue to navigate through the pandemic,” Aspacher said.
Last spring, not long after COVID appeared, city officials began working closely with the Bowling Green economic development office on how to support the community in light of COVID-19.
“We agreed that one of the biggest hurdles we face is ensuring that people feel safe to go to work and safe to come out and support businesses throughout our community,” Kati Thompson, director of the economic development office, said at the time. “We’ve developed a campaign to not only send a clear, consolidated message throughout the community, but also to provide some basic resources to businesses.”
The campaign was titled #movingforwardBG. City Council members and Thompson visited businesses to pass out floor decals for social distancing, posters and yard signs. A banner was hung over Main Street with the message: “We are open. We are safe. We are strong. We are #movingforwardBG.”
