reopen | REDBROWARD

Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry issued a new order on Friday which calls for the reopening of Broward County beaches, gyms and fitness centers and hotels. The order is effective Tuesday May 26, 2020.

From the Broward County press release:

Highlights of the new order include:

All beaches can open with limited hours (sunrise to sunset). Ocean activities such as surfing, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and body surfing are allowed; also walking, running and biking.
Like other communities across the country, Broward beaches are not yet opening for picnicking, sunbathing, sitting or lying on the beach. Group or organized sports (such as volleyball), umbrellas, canopies, chairs, loungers and coolers are also not yet allowed, and no group gatherings of more than 10 people. Beachgoers must maintain social distancing (six feet of separation), except between members of the same household or groups.
Commercial gyms and fitness centers, including but not limited to dance, martial arts, yoga, spinning and personal training studios can open, with adherence to the guidelines. This includes pools in those facilities, with restrictions.
Hotels, motels and commercial lodging establishments can open with adherence to guidelines. Staff is required to wear facial coverings and gloves for all customer-facing activities. Guests must wear facial coverings in all common areas. Ballrooms and other special function spaces remain closed. Proprietors are encouraged to post on their website, blog or social media the steps they are taking to keep their guests safe.
Pari-mutuel facilities (as defined by Florida Statutes Section 550.002(23), are to remain closed, except for when the establishment is being utilized for a use expressly permitted under a Broward County Emergency Order, or by a professional sports team to conduct or host a training, competition, event or game in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 20-123.
Vacation rentals are open, but only for essential lodgers, as authorized by the Governor’s Executive Order 20-87.
All businesses are still strongly encouraged to perform remote operations whenever possible, and allow employees to utilize telework or other remote working methods that permit social distancing.
Enforcement is critical to the success of the reopening strategy, to ensure that a spike in new cases does not occur, which could result in another complete or partial shutdown. County and Health Department officials are monitoring benchmarks that will help identify the emergence of “hotspots” that can be quickly mitigated.

Law enforcement and code enforcement agencies are authorized to enforce the requirements of the Emergency Order. Failure to comply can result in civil or criminal penalties, including fines, imprisonment or both. Residents can also report violations anonymously online at MyBroward.Broward.org, or by calling the Broward County Call Center at 311 or 954-831-4000.

The provisions of Emergency Order 20-13 define minimum standards in Broward County. Municipalities may establish more stringent measures within their jurisdiction, to the extent permitted by law. Residents should check with their municipality to ensure they are aware of local requirements.

Earlier today, during a news conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that youth sports and summer camps in Florida would be allowed to reopen; however local government retains the right to establish stricter requirements if their situation makes it safer for the community to do so. Broward County, which was initially excluded from the Governor’s Phase 1 reopening along with Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County, is not including youth sports and summer camps in the May 26 reopening. These activities will be addressed in a future emergency order.

Broward County has been under a Local State of Emergency since March 10. For the latest updates, visit FloridaHealth.gov, email COVID-19@flhealth.gov or call the COVID Call Center at 954-357-9500. To learn what Broward County is doing to keep our community safe, visit Broward.org/Coronavirus.

Every time Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Steve Glassman opines on public policy he offers more proof of his backbencher status. On Monday, Glassman, the former owner of a Buffalo hair salon, offered his plan to “Relaunch Lauderdale.” There was little fanfare surrounding the announcement because most people tend to ignore Steve Glassman.

As usual, Glassman turned to social media to garner some attention for his “announcement.”

In his announcement, Glassman concedes this is not really his plan. He admits fellow backbencher Mayor Dean Trantalis and his reopen “Working Group” came up with this silly plan. No mention whether Trantalis/Glassman adviser Blake MacDiarmid (R-Lobbyist) hatched this turkey.

First, Glassman makes the laughable claim that Fort Lauderdale led the way when COVID-19 forced the shutdown of Broward County. He laments the loss of Spring Break and all its revenue. Movers and shakers in Fort Lauderdale have not missed Spring Breakers since they chased them out of town in 1980s.

As a condo dweller, it’s no surprise Glassman’s manifesto calls on multi-unit dwellings to control the opening of their private property. “Let them decide which amenities to open responsibly and safely and which should remain closed,” Glassman writes.

Yet when dealing with private businesses like restaurants, Glassman and Trantalis think they know better. For some reason, these guys appear to believe the only restaurants in Fort Lauderdale are located on the beach or Las Olas Boulevard.Glassman wants to “Spread Out On Sunrise Lane” by allowing patio seating in front of The Parrot Lounge and Yo Mama Ice Cream. Glassman says, “Customers will be able to ease their way back into our local economy on the beach in an open air marketplace and unique eating experience.”

On Las Olas, Trantalis and Glassman would eliminate on street parking. The busy boulevard would become one lane each way with the new seating and pedestrian walkways taking up a lane of traffic.

Glassman and Trantalis would create “pop up shopping experiences” in empty parking lots and alleyways to “jump start our economy.” The plan would move shopping to “tents and stations” with “car hops“ delivering clothes and food to your cars!

As for the beach itself, Glassman and Trantalis call for the beach to be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in May with no “congregating” allowed. Towels, blankets and chairs would be outlawed. Parking along A1A would remain closed.

Clearly, Glassman and Trantalis never heard of Adam Smith and his “invisible hand.” Local businesses don’t need advice from backbencher politicians and their cronies. Local residents don’t need Steve Glassman and Dean Trantalis micromanaging their shopping trips to Las Olas and outings on the beach.

Just lift your orders, stop harassing local businesses and get out of our way.