California Increases COVID Restrictions Impacting Campgrounds And RV Dealers

A Regional Stay Home Order in California, announced last Thursday by Governor Newsom, prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100 percent masking and physical distancing in all others. It also places additional restrictions on campgrounds and RV dealerships.

The new order goes into effect within 48 hours in regions with less than 15 percent intensive care unit (ICU) availability, according to the Newsom administration. As of Monday, December 7, the new restrictions have been implemented for San Joaquin Valley Region and the Southern California Region and will remain in place at least through the Christmas holiday.

The San Joaquin Valley Region includes Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne Counties. The Southern California Region includes Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura Counties.

The order will remain in effect for at least three weeks and will be lifted when a region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15 percent. This will be assessed on a weekly basis after the initial three-week period.

The impact of these new Regional Orders should be limited for motor vehicle dealers, including RV dealers, as both sales and repairs are defined as essential businesses. But customer capacity in retail establishments, such as RV dealership’s sales areas, would be capped at 20 percent.

The Regional Stay-at-Home Order also places significant restrictions on campgrounds during the period in which the order is in effect. Because of the current trend in cases, it is likely that within the next two weeks the other three regions will also fall below the 15 percent ICU threshold and implement the new order, meaning almost all campgrounds in California will be subject to these restrictions.

While the order states that overnight stays (short-term) at campgrounds are not permitted, our sources have confirmed that private RV parks and campgrounds can remain open for residents, long-term reservations of 14 days or more, full-time RVers or those needing shelter, or for anyone traveling for essential services or business. These exceptions are expected to be included as part of the forthcoming critical infrastructure guidance.

Additional campground restrictions include prohibiting out-of-state reservations for non-essential travel, unless the reservation is for at least the minimum period required for quarantine. The order also suggests that only persons from a single household can stay together.

The RV Industry Association’s Government Affairs team is working closely with RV campground and dealer partners in California and at the national level to ensure the government officials understand the importance of allowing campgrounds and RV dealerships to meet the needs of RVers currently on the road and those using RVs to conduct essential business. We will continue to provide updates as things change.

For an overview of the impact of executive orders across the country, view this member’s only chart.

View Chart Here