Pitkin County is in the process of reopening for business along with the rest of Colorado under the new Safer at Home Guidance. However, residents and business owners still have a lot of questions about what can and can’t be done. The extended public health order for our county ended on May 8, and now we are in the beginning stages of Phase 1 Reopening. We are a long way from life being totally back to normal, but certain activities can resume and more will open up as we get into the proposed Phase 2 and Phase 3 Reopening plans.
Much of the rules for Phase 2 and 3 are yet to be determined and may be shaped by how Phase 1 goes. As of right now, Phase 2 is set to begin on May 27 if all goes as hoped, and Phase 3 will be at least four weeks after Phase 2 starts.
Phase 1 Requirements
There are 5 criteria that must be met in order to move onto the next phase:
- A sustained decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases for at least 14 days in Pitkin County.
- Hospitals have the resources and capacity to treat patients without resorting to crisis standards of care.
- Testing for COVID-19 infection is to be performed on all people who display symptoms consistent with the illness.
- Active and timely monitoring for all COVID-19 cases and their contacts.
- Clear social distancing protocols are followed.
- Clear social distancing protocols are followed.
In addition, everyone in Pitkin County is being asked to follow 5 Commitments of Containment:
- Maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance.
- Washing hands often.
- Covering face while in public.
- Staying at home when sick.
- Getting tested immediately if displaying symptoms.
I recommend you check out the Pitkin County Road to Reopening information document by clicking here. It breaks down the different reopening phases, criteria and how different businesses and activities will operate under these conditions.
How Will this Affect Real Estate?
Of course, I want to focus on new real estate regulations as they pertain to my clients. At this point, non-resident homeowners are allowed in Pitkin County and are no longer required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. They must, however, follow the 5 Commitments of Containment as listed above. Out-of-town visitors are still not permitted, but will likely be allowed (with certain restrictions yet to be determined) under Phase 2 Reopening on May 27, 2020.
Permitted construction can continue as long as the contractors and developers follow the approved Pitkin County COVID-19 Safety Plan. We talked a little more about this in one of my recent blog articles [Latest Aspen Real Estate News and Social Distancing Updates].
Property Showings
Real estate brokers and agents will be allowed once again to show properties under strict social distancing guidelines. There will be limitations as to how many people can be in a property at any given time and certain safety precautions will need to be taken to help ensure the safety of the homeowners and the buyers touring the home. Though personal home tours are allowed, open houses are not under Phase 1, and it will likely be awhile before we can show houses in that manner.
During Phase 1, restaurants and bars will continue to remain limited to carryout and delivery services while other retail stores, personal service businesses and offices will be able to open if they follow the necessary precautions. Special events and social gatherings cannot have more than 10 people.
As you can see, Phase 1 is a very gentle reopening plan to test the waters as we attempt to open up our local economy. We are all going to have to adjust to the changing times. If everyone does their part and things go smoothly, we can look forward to Phase 2 and beyond. I know we all can’t wait for COVID-19 to be behind us, but until then we are all trying to figure it out together.
If you have Aspen real estate questions, are ready to sell your Pitkin County home or are thinking about buying a home in the near future, feel free to call me at (970) 366-0891 or email me at https://brittanierockhill.com/
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Brittanie Rockhill
Aspen Real Estate
brittanierockhill.com
DRE # FA.100019229
