Rapid City to enforce guidelines easing business restrictions

On Monday night, the Rapid City City Council approved changes to an ordinance passed nearly a month ago, easing restrictions on certain businesses.The City’s Code Enforcement Division will now be communicating the new guidelines to both business owners and the public.

Mayor Steve Allender stressed that the reopening must be done in a “gradual and calculated fashion as we continue to monitor COVID-19.”

The City’s Code Enforcement Division will be reviewing complaints and monitoring businesses for compliance, on top of providing guidance on protocols. Although the Enforcement Division wants businesses to follow the restrictions on their own, there could be repercussions if they don’t.

“If there’s any issues, the code of enforcement will work with those business owners and if we get into an issue of continued non compliance, they could face a fine,” says Rapid City Communications Coordinator Darrell Shoemaker.

Shoemaker says everyone has a stake in the compliance and it’s important that both businesses and customers participate.