OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) - The Oceanside City Council is demanding San Diego County health order changes immediately.
The council drafted a letter Thursday night that they plan to send to county leaders demanding an amendment to county health orders surrounding COVID-19 that would permit each city and agency to decide when beaches, parks, harbors, and local businesses can reopen.
Oceanside City Councilman Christopher Rodriguez said fighting the spread of coronavirus and flattening the curve has come at a price for their economy.
“It’s creating a new curve,” Rodriguez said. “And that curve is unemployment and that curve is the loss of essential city revenues.”
He feels more businesses could be up and running.
“We have the capacity to enforce social distancing,” he said, “I think Oceanside residents understand this dynamic. Life is a risk, and as policymakers, all we can do is do what we’ve done, which is mitigate the best way we can.”
San Diego County officials did not immediately return 10News' request for comment on Oceanside’s demands. However, County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher spoke about the path to reopening at a Thursday news conference.
“We want to reopen our beaches and our parks, but we want to get people back to work, but we have to ensure we are doing it under the guidance of the federal threshold that’s been outlined under the state criteria that has been outlined,” Fletcher said.
Oceanside's letter demands changes to county health orders be made no later than May 1.