Deschutes County requires ‘distancing plan’ for event permit requests

Order issued Wednesday affects events taking place prior to May 31

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County commissioners issued a new emergency order Wednesday that sets new requirements for all county-permitted events through May 31.

The order requires event organizers to submit a "distancing plan" to county risk management. The order says pending permits will be issued if the distancing plan is approved.

NewsChannel 21 spoke with Scott Douglass, the CEO and founder of Cascade Relays.

Douglass said he and partnering agencies have decided to move the Bend Beer Chase, which was scheduled for June 6, to September 26.

He also helps plan the Cascade Lakes Relay, which is pending an event permit from the county for July 31 and Aug. 1. The two-day event is expected to bring in about 4,000 people.

He said the event is still scheduled to go on as planned, but if the county requires them to move the date of the relay, it likely will not continue in 2020.

“My first decision point on anything is, 'does this put our community or does it put our participants in undue harm, or an additional burden on health care workers?'" Douglass said. "If the answer is 'yes,' then clearly there is no decision to have an event.”

As of Thursday, the county said the order only affects county-approved events scheduled to take place prior to May 31.

However, the county adds the order could likely extend to events after that date, if state and federal guidelines change.