• The US Small Business Administration is administering several programs designed to assist businesses impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. To visit the Orange County / Inland Empire SBA office, please click here. There are webinars offered twice daily, and you can receive notices about these webinars and more by visiting their website and signing up for notifications.

• USDA Rural Development also offers programs that may be helpful to Big Bear businesses, and you can learn more about their programs here.

• The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (California Go-Biz) includes information about various programs available to assist small business, including assistance for California businesses that are not eligible for SBA programs. To learn more, please visit their website.

• Accountingprose, a small business bookkeeping and payroll service with offices in Phoenix and Denver, has prepared an excellent summary of the various Federal and private sector programs offering assistance to small businesses. To learn more, please click here, and be sure to click on the various tabs at the top of the page, as there are numerous programs available.

• diligently honor the Governor's order to "shelter in place",

• limit your interactions with others to the maximum extent practical,

• plan your essential trips out accordingly, and limit the number of trips to the grocery store, drug store, etc.,

• keep at least 6 feet of distance between you and others you come into contact with,

• wash your hands ALL THE TIME,

• if you need to get outside, take a walk, go for a run, take a bike ride, or go on a hike by yourself or with your family - but stay far way from others!

• everyone in Big Bear Lake is directed to "shelter in place", especially those age 65 and older and those who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, however, travel is permitted for work and to conduct personal business,

• snow play is not permitted, except on your own property,

• face coverings must be worn when you are interacting with others out in the community,

• grocery stores, drug stores, and other essential retail and service businesses may operate,

• construction and repair activities may continue,

• bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, gyms, bowling alleys, ski areas, snow play areas, and other similar businesses may not operate,

• restaurants are closed for in-restaurant seated dining, however, take-out and delivery services are permitted,

• lodging and vacation rentals may no longer operate, except for very limited situations,

• non-essential group gatherings of any size are prohibited, including commercial establishments, churches, community groups, and other formal and informal group activities,

• isolated, outdoor exercise is permitted, including walking your dog, and

• City parks and the Alpine Pedal Path remain open, however, these facilities should be enjoyed by yourself, with your small family group, and users should avoid close contact with others.

• since March 19, both the City and Visit Big Bear have actively encouraged visitors to postpone their trips to our community, and area lodging and vacation rental managers implemented flexible policies in order to keep visitors away,

• since March 20, the City has implemented the Governor's "shelter in place" order, with only limited exceptions for essential business activities and isolated outdoor exercise,

• since March 22, after receiving clarification from State and County officials and legal advice, the City has prohibited lodging facilities and vacation rentals from operating in Big Bear Lake, with only very limited exceptions,

• since March 23, City enforcement staff have investigated every single complaint alleging unauthorized use of a lodging facility or vacation rental, and have resolved these complaints either by forcing the visitors to leave immediately or by verifying that the owner's family is using the home,

• since March 19, City officials have engaged in direct communication with Visit Big Bear and representatives for the vacation rental management companies to secure cooperation, and all parties have been extremely cooperative and genuinely concerned for our community,

• since March 24 City officials have sent multiple individual communications directly to the owners of all self-managed vacation rental units (those managed through online platforms) to advise them that vacation rentals are temporarily prohibited and that online advertising should be suspended through at least April 30, and City officials have also engaged each owner directly through online platforms,

• since March 25, City officials have been in direct communications with AirBnB officials, who have sent separate communications to their owners to prevent bookings through at least April 30, and

• since April 5, in anticipation of significant snowfall this week, the City has indicated that all City-owned parking facilities, City parks, and on-street parking facilities are closed, and that snow play activities are not permitted anywhere in the City other than the person's own property, with appropriate enforcement personnel available to respond accordingly.

• It is sometimes noted that fires or snow events have closed the Big Bear Valley in the past, however, it's important to note that the COVID-19 event is unlike any other natural or man-made disaster that any community has ever experienced. This event is literally affecting every single community and every single person at the same time, no one knows exactly how it will all end, nor when it will end. A fire event or a snow event is imminent or immediate, is reasonably predictable, has a somewhat predictable duration, does not affect every community and every person at the same time, and is completely apparent to all. If the City or the mountain is "closed", what does that mean, how long does it last, who receives special exceptions, and if anyone leaves should they be allowed to return?

• The City of Big Bear Lake has jurisdiction over approximately 6.5 square miles, a little more than 5,000 permanent residents, and just shy of 10,000 housing units. The City limits include only a fraction of all of the land area, permanent residents, and housing units in the valley. The City does not have authority over Big Bear City, Fawnskin, Sugarloaf, or other unincorporated areas, and does not control the 3 State highways leading into the valley. The City could certainly take action to restrict access into and out of the City limits of Big Bear Lake, however, that would not apply to other areas in the valley, and the City may then be in a position to not allow others in the valley to enter the City limits - which is where most of the shopping and services exist - and the City would not want to prevent our neighbors from accessing essential goods and services in any way. Any decision to limit access into or out of the entire Big Bear Valley would require coordination and agreement by all parties, including the City, the County, and all of the other local government entities serving the valley. It can certainly be done, but, again, the COVID-19 event is unlike any other event that may have necessitated this action in the past, with no reliable prediction of the end date.

• It's also important to note that many of our residents are actively traveling out of the City and the valley to other communities down the hill, including for purchase of essential goods and services, and none of those communities have limited the ability for our residents to visit their communities. What does that say about our community if we believe it's appropriate for us to travel to other communities (who have the same fears and concerns that we all have), but that we need to take action to directly prohibit others from entering our community? Not only are we all in this together in the City of Big Bear Lake and the Big Bear Valley, we're all in this together as Californians and as Americans.

• If we ultimately evolve to "closing the mountain", it will require the allocation of significant resources to control the 3 primary entrance points to the Big Bear Valley. These resources will likely be provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriff, the California Highway Patrol, or perhaps even the National Guard. These resources are already stretched thin, will continue to be stretched thin, and their ranks may also be impacted by COVID-19. Such an operation would require that each vehicle entering or leaving present some proof of residency or property ownership, and this process will be time consuming and require personal interaction. Additionally, who receives special exceptions? How long is all of this going to last? Are we willing to implement this for weeks or months? Do we prohibit our residents and property owners from leaving and returning? What about your family members who may need to come and go?

• Finally, if the reason for this action is to limit the spread of COVID-19 into Big Bear Lake or the Big Bear Valley, then it seems prudent that we would not allow our residents to leave and then return, as they could potentially bring the virus back with them. The risk of an individual bringing the virus to our community is identical whether that individual originated in another community or originated in our community, left, acquired the virus, and returned to our community. The reality is that COVID-19 is already in our community, and the most effective way to prevent community transmission is by following the recommendations and restrictions already in place.

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