MIAMI-DADE COUNTY EMERGENCY ORDER 04-20

Canceled per Emergency Order 24-20

WHEREAS, Section 252.38(3)(a), Florida Statutes, gives political subdivisions the authority to declare and enact a State of Local Emergency for a period of up to seven days, thereby waiving the procedures and formalities otherwise required of the political subdivision by law; and

WHEREAS, on March 1, 2020, the Governor of Florida issued Executive Order Number 20-51, directing the State Health Officer and Surgeon General to declare a Public Health Emergency due to the discovery of COVID-19/novel Coronavirus in Florida; and

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the Governor of Florida issued Executive Order Number 20-52, declaring a State of Emergency for the state of Florida related to COVID-19/novel Coronavirus; and

WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, the County Mayor declared a State of Emergency for all of Miami-Dade County; and

WHEREAS, COVID-19/novel Coronavirus poses a health risk to Miami-Dade County residents, particularly elderly residents and those who are immunosuppressed or otherwise have high-risk medical conditions; and

WHEREAS, minimization of contact is necessary to avoid risk of COVID-19 infection for the residents of the County; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued guidance entitled “15 Days to Slow the Spread,” encouraging social distancing and maintaining a 6 foot separation between residents to slow the spread of infection and that events with more than ten attendees either be cancelled or held virtually;  

WHEREAS, the CDC guidelines are based upon the amount of community spread within a community and become more stringent where there is minimal to moderate or substantial community spread; and

WHEREAS, the CDC guidelines encourage the sharing of messages for those who are sick to not attend group gatherings; and

WHEREAS, parks, beaches, and recreational facilities are potential gathering places for the spread of COVID-19/novel Coronavirus; and

WHEREAS, Rule 13 of the Miami-Dade Rules and Regulations, as codified in Section 26-1 of the County Code, provides that the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Director has the authority to establish exceptions to the closing hours of Miami-Dade County-owned or operated parks and beaches when it is in the interest of the public health, safety, or welfare and such exceptions shall be posted; and

WHEREAS, section 8B-7(2)(k) authorizes the County Mayor to issue an order closing to the public, among other things, any or all public places including parks and beaches; and

WHEREAS, sections 8B-7(2)(e) and (o) authorize the County Mayor to limit the movement of persons inside Miami-Dade County in order to safeguard life and health,

THEREFORE, as County Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I hereby order:

1. Gatherings of more than ten people in any parks, beaches or recreation facilities owned or operated by Miami-Dade County are prohibited for the duration of this order.
2. When gatherings of ten people or fewer in any parks, beaches or recreation facilities owned or operated by Miami-Dade County occur, it is recommended that social distancing of six feet or more be maintained within the group and from other groups that may occupy the same park, beach or recreation facility.
3. This order shall not apply to parks owned or operated by a municipality.
4. This order shall expire upon the expiration of the existing Miami-Dade County State of Local Emergency, except that if such State of Local Emergency is extended, this order shall also be deemed to extend for the duration of such extension. This order may be cancelled earlier by action of the County Mayor.
5. This order shall be effective as of 9:00 a.m., March 18, 2020.
6. This order shall be provided to all appropriate media consistent with the requirements of section 8B-7(2)(n) of the Code of Miami-Dade County.