Variance Request Approved For Arapahoe County

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has approved Arapahoe County’s recent variance request, with conditions. The request, which was filed June 10, asked for allowances for gyms, restaurants, houses of worship and indoor malls.

State health officials said the allowances can continue “based on the low disease prevalence” in the county.

The agency stipulated the following restrictions:

• Gyms, restaurants and houses of worship: Each can allow for 50 percent of the posted occupancy code, not to exceed more than 175 people in a confined indoor space with a minimum of 6 feet distancing. Restaurants and houses of worship can work with their local authorities to determine how many people they can have in an outdoor space.
• Indoor malls: The current requirements limit confined spaces for indoor events to 100 people. State health officials said that the county’s request of 30 percent building capacity “does not include a total person limit, other than what is calculated using a ratio of one person per 55 square feet. Based on the low-level variance approval, the total limit for an indoor mall for any confined indoor space is 175 people.” State health officials also said that “it is critical for the common spaces within the indoor mall to be well-managed, as described in the variance application, to mitigate gatherings above 10 people and keep traffic flow moving.”

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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that the variance is subject to adjustment if conditions worsen.

Arapahoe County Board Chair Nancy Sharpe said she was grateful for the agency's leniency.

“The Board of County Commissioners appreciates the CDPHE’s flexibility on this matter,” Sharpe said in a statement. “We want to get our economy up and running again, but we realize that this will only happen successfully if all County residents and businesses do their part to help ensure that everyone is maintaining the health and safety practices that are crucial to slowing the spread of COVID.”

Officials at the Tri-County Health Department said they are pleased with the variance.

“The request submitted by the Board meets the guidelines we’ve recommended,” said Jennifer Ludwig, deputy director of the Tri-County Health Department.

“We will continue to work closely with County officials to monitor the conditions on the ground as this next phase begins, and we’ll issue updates about the situation as needed.”

Read state health officials' full response on the county’s website.