City Status & News

Oregon’s Risk and Protection Framework - Lake Oswego Continues to be in the Extreme Risk Level

On December 1, the Governor announced a new health and safety framework, with four different risk levels for counties based on their level of COVID-19 spread. At each risk level - Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk - health and safety measures and guidance for businesses and individuals will apply.

Effective January 15 through January 28, 26 counties will be in the Extreme Risk level, two counties at High Risk, two counties at Moderate Risk, and six counties at Lower Risk.

The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. County risk levels will be reassigned every two weeks. The next assignment of risk levels will be announced January 26 and take effect January 29.

Clackamas County - and all of Lake Oswego - is in the extreme risk category. In counties with extreme risk, the following activities will be allowed, with health and safety protocols in place:

Social and at-home gatherings with people from outside your household will be limited to a maximum of six people, with a recommended limit of two households.
Restaurants, bars, and other eating and drinking establishments will be limited to a maximum of 50 people for outdoor dining only, with only six people per table, limit two households. Take-out is strongly encouraged.
Indoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment establishments, including gyms, will remain closed, however, outdoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment activities, including outdoor gym activities, will be allowed, with a maximum limit of 50 people outdoors.
Retail stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, and indoor and outdoor shopping centers and malls will be limited to a maximum of 50% of capacity, with curbside pick-up encouraged.
Faith institutions, funeral homes, mortuaries, and cemeteries will be limited to a maximum of 25% of capacity or 100 people indoors (whichever is smaller), or 150 people outdoors.
Office workplaces will be required to utilize remote work to the maximum extent possible, with public-facing offices closed to the public.
Personal services businesses will be allowed to continue to operate with health and safety measures in place.
Long-term care facilities can allow limited outdoor visitation, following established health and safety protocols.

Oregon counties that are successful in reducing their COVID-19 risk levels in the coming weeks and months will be able to incrementally move to lower risk levels.

It’s important to note that there is no Zero Risk category. Until COVID-19 vaccines are widely available and there is high participation in vaccination, health and safety precautions will remain in place so that schools, businesses, and communities can reopen, and stay open. At every risk level, to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, Oregonians must continue to wear face coverings, watch their physical distance, wash hands, stay home when sick, and keep social get-togethers and gatherings small.

You can find more information about the Risk Levels and the associated allowed activities on the Governor’s COVID-19 webpage: coronavirus.oregon.gov.

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates

Vaccinations are moving forward in Oregon. Currently, everyone in Phase 1 (Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4) are currently eligible for vaccine. On Saturday, January 23, Oregon will be expanding COVID-19 vaccination to include all individuals age 65 and older, as well as child care providers and early learning and K-12 educators and staff.For the latest vaccine information, including number of people who have been vaccinated, visit http://covidvaccine.oregon.gov.

First responders, health care providers and others in Clackamas County who are now eligible for the state’s Phase 1A priority group can apply to receive COVID-19 vaccinations through area hospital systems. To apply, employers are asked to fill out a short survey. Public health officials will then validate eligibility and match applicants with a health care system. The health care system will then notify applicants about how to access the vaccine.

Statewide Reopening Guidance on Mask, Face Coverings, and Face Shields

On December 3, OHA released Statewide Reopening Guidance on Mask, Face Coverings, and Face Shields. Statewide, masks, face coverings or face shields are required to be worn by all individuals at all times unless the individual:

Is at their own residence.
Is in their own personal vehicle, except when going through a drive-thru or if interacting with an individual outside the vehicle, such as at a gas station.
Is under five (5) years of age.
Is eating or drinking.
Is engaged in an activity that makes wearing a mask, face covering or face shield not feasible, such as when taking a shower.
Is sleeping.
Is in a private, individual workspace.
Must remove the mask, face coverings or face shield briefly because the individual’s identity needs to be confirmed by visual comparison, such as at a bank or if interacting with law enforcement. If possible, individuals should limit speaking while the mask, face covering or face shield is off as speaking generates aerosols and droplets that can contain viruses.

Individuals who have a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe or a disability that prevents the individual from wearing a mask, face covering or face shield can request an accommodation from a business, person responsible for an indoor or outdoor space open to the public, public or private workplace, private career school or public or private university to enable full and equal access to services, transportation and facilities open to the public.

To the extent Oregon OSHA has adopted rules governing workplaces that contain requirements for masks, face coverings or face shields, and those rules are more stringent than this guidance, workplaces must comply with Oregon OSHA rules instead of this guidance.

Previous Actions:

On October 27, 2020, Governor Brown extended Oregon's declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until January 2, 2021.

On March 22, 2020, the City of Lake Oswego declared a local state of emergency as a result of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). Although the pandemic continues, the declaration is no longer in effect. The City continues to follow all state guidelines.

Reopening Lake Oswego and Clackamas County

On December 1, 2020, the Governor announced a new health and safety framework, with four different risk levels for counties based on their level of COVID-19 spread. At each risk level - Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk - health and safety measures and guidance for businesses and individuals will apply.

Effective December 3 through December 17, Clackamas County - and all of Lake Oswego - is in the extreme risk category. All guidelines will be followed.

On November 18, 2020, Oregon Health Authority released updated face covering guidance, which states that face coverings must be worn in workplaces at all times except for the following scenarios:

When eating or drinking
When in a private, individual workspace – now defined by OHA as an indoor space used for work by one individual at a time that is enclosed on all sides with walls from floor to ceiling and with a closed door.

On October 19, Governor Brown and Oregon Health Authority revised the statewide guidance on face coverings. Specifically, the guidance requires that people wear face coverings in all private and public workplaces including classrooms, offices, meeting rooms and workspaces.

Masks, face coverings or face shields are currently required statewide for all workplaces and indoor public spaces (for example offices, grocery stores, pharmacies, public transit, personal services providers, restaurants, bars, retail stores and more). Masks, face coverings or face shields are also required at outdoor businesses and in outdoor public spaces when physical distancing of at least six feet is not possible.

OHA recommends wearing a face covering or mask instead of a face shield, except in limited situations when a face shield by itself is appropriate, like talking to someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and needs to read lips to communicate.

Children age 5 and older are required to wear a face covering. People with a disability or medical condition may request accommodation from a business, public space or workspace if they cannot wear one.

Visit Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for more information on face coverings. .

For specific guidelines and the most current information, visit the Governor's COVID-19 website.

What does this mean for Lake Oswego?

For Lake Oswego, the health, safety, and wellness of our community and staff continues to be the City’s top priority. We will continue to comply with the Executive Orders and will work within the Governor’s framework for reopening Oregon.

The City will continue to provide essential services - such as police and fire protection, quality drinking water, and well-maintained infrastructure - to the people of Lake Oswego.

The City has been planning on how to reopen. There are still many uncertainties and unknowns and we know that the virus is not going away. Therefore, the reopening will look different.

The City will be taking a four-part approach to reopening. Taking a controlled-reopening approach gives the City adequate time to implement and evaluate protective strategies. It also allows us to manage the return to full City operations while ensuring the safety of employees and the public.

Planning: Planning/preparation. City facilities remain closed to the public.
Part 1: City facilities remain closed to walk-in traffic. However, some City Hall services are available by appointment. Some additional Parks & Recreation services were restored.
Part 2: Some City facilities reopen with strict physical distancing requirements and with occupancy limits.
Part 3: City facilities reopen to public with strict physical distancing requirements.

The City is working hard to make sure our facilities are ready for a few more people to be in them. The City has evaluated each facility for possible contact and physical distancing hazards and has implemented strategies to minimize risk. Strategies include:

Providing hand sanitizer - at least 60% alcohol - at all counters and in shared work areas.
Setting public capacity limits.
Installing floor decals and signage denoting locations for customers to wait for service.
Installing shields or stanchions.
Removing or limiting seating in waiting areas, lobbies and/or in hallways.
Requiring shared spaces be cleaned after each use.
Tracking employee attendance and visits to facilities for purposes of contact tracing.
Creating an area where the public can check-in and provide contact information and date/time of visit for purposes of contact tracing.

As restrictions ease, we are committed to continuing to find innovative and creative ways to serve our community and work together to support each other.

City Offices Remain Closed to Walk-In Traffic

On June 1, we entered Part I of our plan. While City offices remain closed to walk-in traffic, many in-person services are available by appointment. The public is still encouraged to take advantage of other methods of handling City business, such as by phone, email, virtual and online services, etc. For more information or to make an appointment, please contact the appropriate department directly.

City Services Update

For specific service information, check Department pages.

Adult Community Center

The Adult Community Center building is closed. All programs and classes are canceled.
Meals on Wheels service will continue.

Building and Planning Departments

The Building and Planning Department, including the Permit Center is closed to walk-in customers. However, staff are available to assist permit customers via phone and email during regular Permit Center hours for each department.
Planning and Building are not taking appointments for in-person meetings at City Hall during November 18 - December 2, per the OHA restrictions. All other operations continue.
We encourage the use of electronic submittals:
- Use electronic submittal through Accela or Email (as applicable) for all permit applications.
- If you need to deliver plans that cannot be sent electronically, use the dropbox at the south entrance to City Hall during business hours.
For additional assistance, please contact department staff:
- Lake Owego Building: permits@lakeoswego.city or 503-635-0390
- Lake Oswego Planning: planning@lakeoswego.city or 503-635-0290

Boards, Commissions & Committees

Some meetings of City Boards, Commissions, and Committees resumed in June. Please check the online Events & Meeting calendar for updates: www.lakeoswego.city

Engineering & Construction

The Engineering Department, including the Permit Center, is open by appointment only (closed to walk-in customers). Staff continue to be available to assist permit customers via phone and email during regular Permit Center hours. All infrastructure construction projects continue to proceed as planned, using social distancing best practices. Inspections of all work will be conducted as usual.

Finance Department

The Finance Department is closed to walk-in customers and is not taking appointments for in-person meetings at City Hall during November 18 - December 2, per the OHA restrictions.
Passport Services remain closed for walk-in customers.
While this emergency is in place, the City will not send shut-off notices or shut off water for non-payment of unpaid water bills.

Library

The Library is closed to walk-in traffic. Holds pickup services are now available 7 days a week: Mon-Thu 10-7, Fri-Sat 10-5, and Sun 1-5. Appointments are required to pickup holds.
People can visit lincc.org to place holds on items to borrow.
All remote book drop locations are open for returns: Luscher Farms, Yakima Building, Mountain Park, and West Waluga Park.
The Parking Lot Library is closed for the season.
The Library building is closed to walk‐in traffic.
The Library is loaning laptops and wifi hotspots, in addition to offering wireless printing services Mon‐Sat 10‐4.
Librarians are available by phone Mon‐Sat 10‐5 and Sun 1‐5.

Municipal Court

The Municipal Court is closed to walk-in customers, but is available for Virtual Court or by appointment only. Please call 503-635-0217 for specific questions.

Parks & Recreation

The following Parks & Recreation Facilities & Amenities are open:

Adult Community Center Programs: Meals on Wheels delivery continues, Lunch2Go continues on a drive-thru model, Respite Program continues virtually three days per week.
Athletic Fields: Organized play for minimal and medium contact sports is permitted with a field reservation when following OHA guidance. Full contact sports are not permitted at this time per OHA. Athletic field use for the general public is permitted when following OHA guidance.
Community Supported Agriculture: Pickup continues with face coverings and physical distancing.
Dog Parks
Golf Course
Off Leash Dog Areas
Restrooms
Parking lots
Pickleball Courts at George Rogers Park with singles play or doubles play when from same household and wearing face coverings
Playgrounds with six feet of physical distancing from others. Sandboxes remain closed.
Quarry Bike Park
Restrooms
Tennis Courts at South Shore & Westlake Park with singles play or doubles play when from same household and wearing face coverings
Water Sports Center permitted activities by Lake Oswego Community Rowing (link is external) with additional safety protocols.

The following are closed:

Basketball Courts per Governor's order.
Christ Church Parish Parks & Recreation Annex: The site is closed beginning November 18.
Drinking Fountains per Governor's order.
Indoor Facilities remain closed to the public, including Adult Community Center, CCP, Golf Course Clubhouse & Luscher Farmhouse.
Picnic Shelter & Premier Park Reservations: Shelter reservations are closed for the year and will reopen in March if permitted by covid-19 restrictions. The Department will begin taking reservations for 2021 in February.
Sandboxes closed per Governor's order.
The Tennis Center is be closed beginning November 18.

Public Works & Utilities

Our drinking water is safe. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found that “the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water.” We will continue to deliver safe drinking water to your tap throughout the COVID-19 emergency. It is not necessary to stock up on bottled water, our drinking water is of very high quality, is reliable and is a much better value than bottled water.
The Maintenance Center is closed to walk-in traffic. However, services are available to the public via appointment only by calling 503-635-0280.
Water Treatment Plant is closed to the public, but is available by appointment only. Currently, no tours are being allowed for public groups.

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