The Tri-County Health Department will allow five Douglas County restaurants to reopen after it ordered them to close earlier this week for violating public health orders barring in-person dining amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Douglas County is at Level Red, the second-highest level on the state’s color-coded dial system. Under the public health order for that level, all restaurants were ordered to stop in-person dining on Nov. 20 at 5 p.m.
The following restaurants were ordered closed Monday for breaking that order:
- The Gym Co. Tavern in Parker
- The Library Co. Bar & Kitchen in Castle Rock
- The Office Bar & Kitchen in Castle Rock
- Tailgate Tavern in Parker
- The Whisky Lodge in Castle Rock
On Wednesday evening, Tri-County Health’s director of environmental health, Brian Hlavacek, issued a follow-up statement saying that the five restaurants have all reached agreements with the department and the closure orders have been rescinded.
“Our goal is to achieve compliance in order to prevent the spread of COVID, and we worked closely with the owners of each restaurant with a shared goal of helping them to reopen safely,” Hlavacek said in the statement.
The details of those agreements were not immediately known. Tri-County’s officials also highlighted a grant program Douglas County has launched to support restaurants that remain in good standing with licensing authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis said businesses that refuse to comply with COVID-19 restrictions could lose their licenses.
Town leaders in Castle Rock said Tuesday that they oppose the state health department’s decision to move Douglas County to Level Red, saying in a news release that they are requesting indoor dining be allowed at a “viable percentage.” The council it will not enforce the Level Red restrictions.
The state’s color-coded dial system assigns a county a level based on new cases, the percentages of tests that are positive and how hospitalizations are trending. As of Tuesday, at least 25 counties, including most of the Denver area, are at Level Red.
Local public health officials in Denver have not had to close any restaurants for violating orders under Level Red. Denver Public Health and Environment will respond if there are complaints from the public that any restaurants are still doing in-person dining, said Tammy Vigil, spokeswoman for the agency, in an email.
Boulder public health officials have spoken to restaurant owners when they received reports from members of the public that there was a violation but have not ordered any restaurants to close, said Chana Goussetis, spokeswoman for the department.
“The team speaks with the business management and reminds them of the requirements under Level Red. So far we have not experienced any push-back during these conversations,” she said in an email.
In Level Red counties, restaurants can still offer outdoor service, takeout and curbside options. However, all personal gatherings outside of an individual’s household are prohibited and last call for alcohol is 8 p.m.
Updated Nov. 26, 20202, at 1:25 p.m. This story has been updated to reflect that the Tri-County Health Department has rescinded its closure orders for the five restaurants listed above.
Denver Post staff writer Joe Rubino contributed to this report.
