AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY EMERGENCY ORDER 21-20

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 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 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; and

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

WHEREAS, as Miami-Dade County COVID-19 hospitalizations have stabilized and begun declining, the County will be allowing for certain activities to resume that pose a less significant threat for transmission of the virus; and

WHEREAS, Emergency Order 23-20, as amended by amendment no. 2, provided standards for the safe resumption of summer camps, youth sports, and fitness activities; and

WHEREAS, this amendment allows for dogs to be off leash at dog parks; and

WHEREAS, the safety and welfare of all the residents of Miami-Dade County is paramount,

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

A. Paragraph 4 of Emergency Order 21-20, as amended, is hereby amended and restated as follows:

4. Effective as 6:00 am, April 29, 2020, all parks and recreational facilities in the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County may be open, but only under the limited circumstances set forth herein:

• All parks and recreational facilities may be open only from the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Within this time period, a park or recreational facility may be open for a shorter time period if prescribed by their normal operating hours or, with respect to parks operated by municipalities, by municipal regulation.
• Use of parks and recreational facilities shall be for limited active and passive uses by individuals and families, as permitted by this order and following current CDC and State Health Department guidelines. Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, summer camps and youth sports are allowed if conducted in conformance with Emergency Order 23-20, as amended, and the Moving to A New Normal Handbook incorporated into that order.
• No groups of 10 or more persons shall congregate in parks or recreational facilities. All persons, excepting family, shall observe social distancing, both within groups and with others.
• Only the following limited active uses are allowed: walking, jogging, hiking, skating, cycling, nature walks on trails, and sports skills practice and drills in groups of less than ten. Sports skills practice includes, but is not limited to, activities such as shooting a basketball, dribbling a soccer ball, family members throwing a ball, or similar activities, and summer camps and youth sports, if conducted in conformance with Emergency Order 23-20, as amended, and the Moving to A New Normal Handbook incorporated into that order.
• To ensure that social distancing is maintained and to ensure access to facilities by patrons, parks staff may limit the number of persons using trails, paths, fields, or courts, and may limit the time any person spends on such trail, path, field, or court.
• Organized or competitive play on courts and fields is prohibited, except singles tennis and racquetball play may be allowed. In addition, competitive doubles play may be allowed in conformance with the Moving To A New Normal Handbook.
• All passive uses of parks are allowed if social distancing is maintained, provided however, that table games, picnics, and parties are prohibited.
• Park trails and walkways shall be one-way flow only, except where the existing configurations does not allow such flow. Where designated for one-way flow, persons shall only move in the designated direction.
• Facial coverings shall be worn, except children under the age of 2, persons who have trouble breathing due to a chronic pre-existing condition, or persons engaged in strenuous physical activity.
• An attendant shall be provided for each restroom. Restrooms shall be cleaned no less than once every two hours with CDC approved products. Restroom use shall be one person or one family at a time.
• Vehicle parking capacity in parks shall be reduced by no less than 25 percent.
• Sports field lighting shall remain off.
• Dog parks may be open>>.<<, [[provided however, that dogs shall remain leashed in all areas of the park.]]
• Use of the following amenities is prohibited:
  • playgrounds and exercise equipment;
  • picnic shelters;
  • splashpads; and
  • mechanical attractions.

B. The provisions of this order shall serve as minimum standards. Municipalities may impose more stringent standards within their jurisdictions.

C. All other provisions of Emergency Order 21-20, as amended, remain in full force and effect.

D. This Amendment shall be effective as of 12:01 a.m. on August 6, 2020.

E. 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.