— from Joe Symons —

I write to vigorously oppose relaxing the phase 2 standard toward lodging facilities as proposed by the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and Lodging Recovery/Reopening Committee.

Missing from the Governor’s Safe Start metrics is the asymmetric impact of travelers to the San Juan Islands. The vast majority of COVID cases in the county are from out-of-county visitors. San Juan County (SJC) has an elderly demographic that is 2x the state’s average. Almost half of the full time local population is 60 or older.

We have already had visitors appear here for Mother’s Day and Memorial Day in direct violation of state and county regulations. The SJC Sheriff’s Department has stated publicly that it will not enforce the county’s mandatory mask law.

SJC is considered a “haven” of tranquility and safety not only by locals, but by mainlanders seeking to escape the exposure opportunities typical of urban areas. The reason the county’s COVID metrics are as low as they are is due to rigorous adherence to safe practices, something visitors have demonstrated complete disregard for. San Juan County residents should not be penalized for their diligence by being unnecessarily and inappropriately exposed to potential SARS-Cv-2 carriers whose personal interest takes precedence over community safety. Phase 2 guidelines specifically state, re travel, that non-essential travel is permitted within the proximity of your home. SJC is not within the proximity of any mainland home.

Requesting a partial transition to Phase 3 for the lodging industry poses huge logistical problems. What lodging facilities would be permitted? All of them, including vacation rental properties? How would any certification take place as to enhanced sanitation and social distancing behaviors? Who is going to enforce/certify the proposed 50% occupancy rule? How would that apply to either home-stay or stand-alone vacation rentals?

Who will assume responsibility when the COVID cases start accumulating after the visitors who brought the virus here are long gone? How would contact tracing be done? Should visitors be required to be tested before they are permitted to use any transient lodging?

The pressure on the county to “open up” and “return to normal” flies in the face of the facts about our safe local practices and high-risk population. Should locals have to choose to continue to shelter in place in order to cage themselves from the virus brought by outsiders while visitors roam the trails, streets and public spaces?

The whole point of this early transition to Phase 3 is to allow lodging facilities to earn money. The consequence of this activity would be to enable visitors to come and generate the cascading monetary effect for other tourist services (whale watching, kayaking, eating out, etc.) exposing even more locals to potential SARS carriers.

This is a classic case of economy over health. SJC is unlike any other county in the state: it is served almost exclusively by ferries. As a result, it does not normally have the flow of people moving back and forth as does every other county in the state. Given the high demand for recreational travel and shelter-in-place fatigue, SJC is ripe for exposure. 

What will happen when a few COVID cases pop up? rescind the phase 3 components? force cancellation of newly-created reservations? Put SJC on a tighter leash for perhaps a longer time?

WA state metrics are insufficient to properly handle this unique situation. 
This said, do not forget that a year ago hundreds of Orcas residents participated in three community conversations about the negative impact of over-tourism and specifically the exploding and uncontrolled increase of short term lodging via platforms like airbnb and VRBO. There were thousands of signatures on a petition to implement a moratorium on the issuance of new vacation rental permits. Council has ignored this public outcry.

That pressure on the county–on one side by visitors and those who wish to make short term profits thru renting out homes and cutting out long term rental options—and on the other side by voters and residents who are saying enough is enough: no more w/o serious public conversation—continues regardless of COVID.

I am the owner/holder of two vacation rental permits. I have not had a non-essential visitor in my facilities for more than 3 months. I anticipate the vast bulk of my expected 2020 income will dematerialize. I lean on the side of caution. Visitors have already demonstrated irresponsible behavior. We have seen this all over the country as well as here. 

The gains for some will not compensate for the losses to all.

Take a pause. Let the clock run for a few more weeks to see if any COVID cases emerge from the illegal visitor behavior in the last few weeks of May. An avoidable COVID death will ruin everybody’s summer and won’t be forgotten in November.

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