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Short-Term Rental and Quarantine Restrictions in Sugar Mountain will Expire April 29

The Village of Sugar Mountain will allow the ban on short-term rentals and the 14-day quarantine restrictions for second homeowners to expire on April 29, according to a proclamation from Mayor Gunther Jochl.

The short-term rental restrictions and 14-day quarantine originally went into place on April 3. Following a council meeting on April 21, Mayor Jochl made the decision to end those two restrictions.

“There was discussion at the council meeting and the mayor decided to sign the proclamation,” said Susan Phillips, Sugar Mountain’s Village Manager.

Phillips said that there was no council vote and that the mayor has the authority to end the short-term rental and quarantine restrictions.

Of course things could always change again should any positive COVID-19 tests show up in the town.

“If the situation warranted, we can tighten up on the restrictions again,” said Mayor Jochl

Other restrictions instituted by Governor Roy Cooper will still be in effect, such as non-essential businesses remaining closed and no dine-in eating at the local restaurants.

Proclamation Here:

EASING OF RESTRICTIONS UNDER STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION – APRIL 21, 2020

WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death by the SARS-CoC-2 virus, which is a new strain of coronavirus previously unidentified in humans and which can spread from person to personand

WHEREAS, in response to the global spread of the virus and the disease it causes, the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) has warned of the high public health threat posed by COVID-19 globally and in the United States and has deemed it necessary to prohibit or restrict travel to areas designated by the CDC; the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary declared a public health emergency in the United States for COVID-19; and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (“NCDHHS”) confirmed multiple cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020 the State of North Carolina, through the Office of the Governor, Roy Cooper, issued Executive Order No. 116 titled “Declaration of the State of Emergency to Coordinate Response and Protective Actions to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19”; and

WHEREAS, on March 24, 2020 the Village Council for the Village of Sugar Mountain declared a state of emergency and delegated to the Mayor the authority to enact restrictions pursuant to Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the North Carolina General Statutes to proclaim restrictions necessary for the Village of Sugar Mountain to address emergency matters, including the present public health crisis and its associated affects; and

WHEREAS, on April 3, 2020 the Mayor for the Village of Sugar Mountain imposed additional restrictions upon conduct within the Village to conform with similar Declarations made by Watauga County and Avery County prohibiting Short-Term Rentals within the Village of Sugar Mountain and requiring those traveling from outside Avery County for overnight stays to self-quarantine for a period of fourteen days; and

WHEREAS, as of the date of the enactment of this Declaration, Avery County has no known or confirmed cases of COVID-19, and the social distancing measures which have been voluntarily adopted by our citizens and visitors appear to be working; and

WHEREAS, the economy of the Village of Sugar Mountain is heavily dependent upon tourism and the travel industry, and the citizens and residents of Sugar Mountain need to begin on a path toward returning to work and continuing their productive enterprises; and

WHEREAS, at present, there is no information that the local or statewide medical facilities are overwhelmed with critical care respiratory needs that require the restriction of individual liberties and freedoms beyond those otherwise imposed on a statewide level; and

WHEREAS, the citizens and residents of Sugar Mountain need to be able to prepare for their future and need as much certainty as possible instead of an open-ended moratorium on their economic ventures and livelihoods; and

WHEREAS, to the extent conditions may evolve which require a response to specific circumstances based on new information, it is appropriate for the Declaration of State of Emergency previously passed by the Village Council to remain in place and the Mayor will continue to have the ability to impose such additional restrictions as may become necessary; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary for the government to consider not only the public’s physical health, but also the harm and damage caused to the public’s mental health and the damage to their economic opportunities;

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority of the Village Council and the authority vested in me as the Mayor of the Village of Sugar Mountain under Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the North Carolina General Statutes:

Section 1.  Pursuant to N.C.G.S. 166A-19.22(b)(2), a state of emergency declared on March 24, 2020 remains in effect within the corporate limits of the Village of Sugar Mountain.

Section 2. Emergency restrictions and prohibitions shall apply within the entire jurisdiction of the Village of Sugar Mountain, as may be necessary and declared by an authorized official of the Village of Sugar Mountain. All previous restrictions and requirements enacted on March 24, 2020 by the Declaration of State of Emergency as adopted by the Village of Sugar Mountain shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 3.RESTRICTED ACCESS: The restrictions adopted on April 3, 2020 relating to overnight travel, namely: that all residents and non-residents of the Village of Sugar Mountain arriving for overnight stays are ordered, while present in the Village of Sugar Mountain, to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days or 7 days after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer, if arrival was preceded by overnight stays outside of Avery County – shall expire on April 29, 2020 unless otherwise amended by subsequent action by the Mayor or Village Council to amend the Declaration of a State of Emergency.

Section 4. PROHIBITION ON SHORT -TERM RENTALS. The restrictions adopted on April 3, 2020 relating to Short-Term Rentals shall expire on April 29, 2020 unless otherwise amended by subsequent action by the Mayor or Village Council to amend the Declaration of a State of Emergency

Section 5. It is hereby ordered that this declaration: (a) be distributed to the news media and other organizations calculated to bring its contents to the attention of the general public; (b) be filed with Clerk to the Village of Sugar Mountain; and (c) be distributed to others as necessary to ensure proper implementation of this declaration.

Section 6. The application of the state of emergency declaration within the corporate limits of the Village of Sugar Mountain shall otherwise remain in effect until further notice.

ADOPTED this the 21st day of April, 2020.