On Wednesday, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz announced that new capacity limits on social gatherings and businesses such as bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms will take effect starting Friday, July 24, as COVID-19 cases have risen dramatically in the Municipality of Anchorage. The full text of the emergency order implementing those restrictions is below.
[Read our story: Citing spike in COVID-19 cases, Anchorage mayor announces new restrictions for bars, restaurants and gatherings]
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MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE
PROCLAMATION OF ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY ORDER EO-14 RETURN TO MODIFIED VERSION OF PHASE TWO: GATHERING LIMITS, CAPACITY LIMITATIONS AT BARS, RESTAURANTS, GYMS, AND MORE
ISSUED BY THE MAYOR OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE PURSUANT TO ANCHORAGE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3.80.060H.
A surge in COVID-19 cases within both the Municipality and Alaska requires immediate response. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a public health emergency that threatens to overwhelm our health system, endangering the lives and wellbeing of the people of Anchorage. Reopening has allowed almost all businesses to get back to work, including high-risk industries, where a high percentage of current cases appears to be originating. The reopening plan forecast that rising case counts could result in subsequent closures. Right now, being indoors with people from other households is the most dangerous place individuals can be for catching and spreading COVID-19. Because of the resurgence in cases, Anchorage now needs to increase restrictions on public interactions to preserve health and save lives in our community.
I HEREBY ORDER THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY REGULATION TO BE EFFECTIVE AS OF 8:00 A.M. ON JULY 24, 2020. THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY REGULATIONS HAVE THE POWER OF LAW, SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL REVOKED, AND SHALL SUPERSEDE ALL CONFLICTING LAWS DURING THE EXISTENCE OF THIS EMERGENCY. THIS ORDER SUPERSEDES, IN PART, EO-10.
1. Gathering Limitations. Individuals are encouraged to reduce the number of people they come into physical contact with, and businesses should permit employees to work remotely whenever feasible. All indoor events and gatherings with more than 25 people are prohibited. All outdoor gatherings involving consumption of food or drink must be limited to 50 people or fewer, with the following exceptions:
a. The outdoor gathering limitation does not limit shopping at farmer’s markets or outdoor food-truck events where six-feet of physical distancing between customers is maintained, provided that on-site dining is discouraged.
b. The outdoor gathering limitation does not limit drive-in events where groups remain within separate vehicles spaced at least six feet apart (or ten feet apart if singing by audience members is anticipated) so long as no food, drink, or other goods are passed between vehicles.
2. Bar and Nightclub Capacity Limited. All bars and nightclubs shall be limited to a capacity indoors and outdoors of 25% of maximum building occupancy based on fire and building codes. This capacity limit includes all staff and customers. Bars and nightclubs must calculate allowed indoor capacity and outdoor capacity, post them publicly, and enforce the capacity limits. Bars are encouraged to offer otherwise lawful takeout, curbside, and delivery service.
3. Restaurant and Brewery Capacity Limited. All restaurants and breweries are limited to an indoor capacity of 50% of maximum building occupancy based on fire and building codes. The capacity limit includes all staff and customers. Businesses must calculate allowed capacity, post it publicly, and enforce the capacity limits. The outdoor areas of restaurants and breweries are limited to table service, with each table 10-feet apart or greater, as measured edge to edge.
4. Capacity Limitations at Indoor Gyms, Bingo Halls, Theaters, and Other Recreation and Entertainment Facilities. All other indoor entertainment and recreation facilities, including gyms, bingo halls, and theaters, shall be limited to 50% of building occupancy based on fire and building codes. Businesses must calculate allowed capacity, post it publicly, and enforce the capacity limits.
5. Legible Visitor Logs Required. Restaurants, bars, breweries, nightclubs, gyms, bingo halls, and any establishments serving the public in a sit-down setting, or for an in-person appointment or service lasting fifteen minutes or longer shall require all adult customers or clients to sign in with legible contact information including first and last name, phone number, and email address in case it is needed for state or local contact tracing efforts. This information may be kept electronically. This information must be retained by businesses for not less than 30 days. Information in the visitor log will not be collected unless needed for contact tracing or enforcement of this order.
6. Communication to Employees of Known COVID-19 Exposure Required. All businesses and other entities must promptly communicate to their employees and state and local public health departments (email: COVID-19-Business@anchorageak.gov) if a known or probable COVID-19 exposure occurred in the workplace. Businesses and other entities must assist the state and local health departments in the process of informing customers or clients of a known COVID-19 exposure at the workplace.
7. Additional Requirements for Hotels and Other Lodging. Management at hotels and other places of lodging must regularly inform employees working within the lodging and state and local public health departments (COVID-19-Business@anchorageak.gov) whether and to what extent the hotel is housing individuals who are in quarantine or isolation due to travel, possible exposure to COVID-19, or a diagnosis of COVID-19. Hotel management must inform employees that the names of individuals with COVID-19 shall be kept confidential, and that a violation of confidentiality may result in disciplinary action by management. Hotels must supply personal protective equipment, sufficient sanitation opportunities, and adequate cleaning supplies to employees.
All portions of EO-10 (“Maintenance”) and its attachments that do not conflict with this order remain in effect, including requirements for sanitation, physical distancing, and business mitigation plans.
DATED this 22nd day of July, 2020.
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Ethan Berkowitz, Mayor
Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska