On March 11, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a third phase for the state’s Health Washington: Roadmap to Recovery plan. He also revealed a change to the state’s reopening process from a regional approach to a county-by-county evaluation process.

Effective Monday, March 22, all counties will move into Phase 3 of the recovery plan. Phase 3 brings new guidance for in-person spectators at sporting events, outdoor activities, and events at indoor facilities.

The Governor’s Office has shared with AWC that public meetings under Phase 3 will increase the permitted capacity from 25% to 50% of the posted room capacity. Cities in Phase 3 will still be required to provide the public virtual access to meetings, at a minimum, via telephone.

Additionally, Phase 3 allows restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, and other indoor businesses to increase their capacity to 50% occupancy, or 400 people maximum.

The recovery plan creates new metrics for larger and smaller counties. A smaller county is defined as having fewer than 50,000 residents. Below is an overview of the metrics provided by the Governor’s Office.

AWC appreciates the dedication of city leaders and staff during the recovery process to keep your communities safe and respond to the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic. We will share more information as it becomes available.