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Solvang declares economic emergency as businesses close amid coronavirus pandemic

Solvang empty
Solvang parking empty
Lindsay Zuchelli / KEYT
Solvang curbside pickup
Food businesses are getting creative amid the coronavirus pandemic, offering curbside pickup and discounts to customers. (Lindsay Zuchelli/KEYT)

SOLVANG, Calif. - Solvang is essentially a ghost town amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Only a handful of businesses were still open Saturday morning, and most of them were restaurants.

The businesses that are open are getting creative by offering discounts, curbside pickup, and delivery service.

Solvang curbside pickup
Food businesses are getting creative amid the coronavirus pandemic, offering curbside pickup and discounts to customers. (Lindsay Zuchelli/KEYT)

However, the tourist town also has a lot of other small businesses to worry about.

On Friday night, the Solvang City Council held an emergency meeting and declared a public health, safety, and economic emergency.

The city is establishing a $250,000 emergency loan assistance program for small businesses.

Our newsroom spoke with some Lompoc residents who wanted to visit Solvang and support the businesses that were open Saturday.

"I came to this town with my grandparents last weekend, and I loved the aesthetic of the town and the people here. All the shops were really neat, it's a really beautiful place, and I came back. I told (my friends), I've got to show you this town, but we weren't sure with everything going on, what would be open and what wouldn't, but we still came anyway," said Michael Byrd. "There's no reason to not go outside and enjoy the day, especially out here. I've never seen a town like this."

Solvang parking empty
Parking lots at Solvang hotels were mostly empty amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Lindsay Zuchelli/KEYT)

As part of the emergency declaration, Solvang is offering $5,000 micro-loans that will come from city reserves.

The loans are designed to help local businesses while they wait for additional financial help from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Loan request forms will be available online starting Monday.

The emergency declaration also requires water and sewer services to continue for businesses during the state of emergency even if they aren't able to pay their bills. Businesses will not face penalties for late payments of the Transient Occupancy Tax either.

The city is also taking additional steps to come up with an economic recovery plan once the health emergency ends.

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Lindsay Zuchelli

Lindsay Zuchelli is the Executive Producer at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Lindsay, click here.

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