Declaration of a State of Emergency Extended through April 2, 2020C IT Y O F M IA M I B E A C H
D E C L A R A T IO N O F A S T A T E O F E M E R G E N C Y
E X T E N D E D T H R O U G H 1 1 :5 9 P .M . O N AP R IL 2, 2 0 2 0
WHEREAS, C O V ID -19 /no vel cor on avi ru s ("C O VI D -19"), a severe ac ute respiratory
illness th at can spread rapidly fro m p e rso n to pe rson and cause serio us illness or death,
constitu tes a cle a r a nd p resent threat to the liv es, health, w elfa re and safety of the peo ple of
th e C ity o f M ia m i B eac h; a nd
WHEREAS, on M arch 9, 2020 , G o vern o r D es a ntis issued E xecutiv e O rder 20-52 ,
d e c laring a S tate o f E m e rg ency fo r the S tate o f Flo rida related to C O V ID -19 ; and
WHEREAS, on M arch 11, 2020 , the W orld H e alth O rganizatio n de cl a red the rapidly
spre ading co ro na v iru s outb reak a pande m ic ; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 12 , 2020 , the M ia m i-D ade C ounty M a yor dec la red a S tate of
E m erg e ncy fo r all o f M ia m i-D ade C o unty due to the threats associated w ith C O V ID -19 ; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 12 , 2020 , I, as C ity M anage r fo r the C ity of M ia m i B e ach, decl ared
a S ta te o f E m e rge ncy fo r th e C ity of M ia m i B each, as C O VI D -19 poses a hea lth risk to the
C ity's re side nts , p a rt ic ularly elde rly reside nts and those w ho are im m uno suppressed or
o th erw ise h av e h ig h risk o f m edica l conditio ns , w hich de cl a ratio n w as am e nded on M arch 13 ,
2 020, a nd th e find ings o f w hic h are hereby incorporated by reference; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 13 , 2020 , the M ayor and C ity C o m m issio n of the C ity of M iam i
B each u na n im o usly a do pted R eso lutio n N o . 2020-3 119 2 , autho riz ing the C ity M anager to
e xten d th e du ratio n of the D ecla ratio n of a S tate of E m e rge ncy and im plem e nt discretionary
em er g en c y m e asures for an addition al period of seven (Z) da ys, com m enci ng on M arch 12 ,
2 020, a nd end ing on M a rch 19 , 20 20 , to address the C O V ID - 19 pande m ic and pro tect the
p ublic h ea lth, safety and w elfare of the peo ple of the C ity of M ia m i B e ach, the findings of w hich
a re he re by inco rpo ra ted b y re ferenc e; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 13 , 2020 , P reside nt T rum p de cl a red a nationa l em e rgency due
to C O V ID -19 ; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 18 , 20 20 , the M ayor and C ity C om m issio n una nim o usly ado pted
R esolu tio n N o . 2020 -3 12 19 , autho riz ing the C ity M a nage r to extend the du ration of the
D ecl ara tio n of a S tate o f E m erge nc y and im ple m e nt discretio na ry em e rge ncy m e asures for an
a dd itio nal p e rio d o f seven (7) da ys, com m e ncing on M a rch 19 , 2020 , and ending on M arch 26 ,
2 0 20, to a dd ress the C O V ID - 19 p a nde m ic and pro tect the public hea lth, safety and w elfa re of
D e c la ra tio n o f a S ta te o f E m e rg e n c y
M a rc h 2 6 , 2 0 2 0
P a g e 2 o f 5
the people of the City of Miami Beach, the findings of which are hereby incorporated by
reference; and
WHEREAS, the rate of infection throughout the world and in the US has accelerated
rapidly, with at least 488,328 confirmed cases worldwide as of March 26, 2020; and
WHEREAS, as the result of the rapid and exponential spread of COVID-19, countries
such as Spain, Italy, and now the United Kingdom imposed strict measures limiting travel, and
ordering citizens to stay at home to avoid or minimize the community spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, as of March 26, 2020, the United States has recorded 68,594 confirmed
cases and 1,036 deaths; and
WHEREAS, the accelerating infection rate for COVID-19 led California, New York,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Louisiana, and countless local
governments, including Los Angeles, New York City, Dallas and others to issue orders
curtailing mobility and travel, through "Shelter in Place," "Stay at Home," or "Safer at Home"
orders, in order to minimize contact through social distancing measures and reduce the risk of
COVID-19 infection, with over 100 million Americans subject to such orders; and
WHEREAS, to date, the Florida Department of Health lists 1,977 positive cases of
COVID-19 and 23 deaths, with South Florida emerging as a "hotspot" for these infections -
with 412 confirmed cases in Broward County and 491 confirmed cases in Miami-Dade County,
accounting for almost half of the state's total; and
WHEREAS, health experts urge people to practice extreme social distancing in order to
"flatten the curve," which refers to the use of protective practices to slow the rate of COVID-19
infection, so that hospitals have sufficient room, supplies, and medical personnel for all of the
patients who may need care due to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the failure to "flatten the curve" at the early onset of the COVID-19
pandemic in Italy has filled many hospitals in Italy beyond their capacity, forcing emergency
rooms to close their doors to new patients, allocate ventilators and ICU beds to patients with
highest chances of survival, hire hundreds of new doctors and healthcare personnel, and
request emergency supplies of basic medical equipment, like respirator masks, from abroad;
and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 outbreak threatens to overwhelm some U.S. hospitals in
areas with the highest infection rates, leading the U.S. military to prepare to deploy field
hospitals to New York and Seattle, as well as send military hospital ships to Los Angeles and
New York City, and task the Army Corps of Engineers to convert hotels and dormitories into
treatment facilities for sick patients; and
2
D e cl a ra tio n o f a S ta te o f E m e rg e n c y
M a rch 2 6 , 2 0 2 0
P a g e 3 o f 5
WHEREAS, the spread of C O V ID -19 via travel, including business and leisure travel,
p resents uniq ue cha llenge s to a reso rt com m unity like M iam i Beach, as att racting visitors and
tourists is utterly incom patible w ith soc ial distancing effort s; and
WHEREAS, in spite of w arn ings fro m C ity, C o u nty, State, and Federal govern m ental
a gencie s , incl uding the C enters fo r D isease C o ntro l and P revention (th e "C D C"), th ousand s of
students and othe r person s congregated in M ia m i B each fo r "S pring Break" and other social
a ctivitie s , and congregated in and aro u nd parks, beache s, hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs,
and o the r pla ces of public assem bla ge , w itho ut obse rv ing the social distancing guidelines
re com m e nd ed by the C D C , thus increasing the risk of transm ission; and
WHEREAS, as of M a rch 25 , 2020 , at least tw o M iam i Beach police off icers, one of w hich
w as a ssig ned to patro l the O cean D rive area du ring a peak "Spring B reak" period, have
contracted C O V ID -19 ; and
WHEREAS, the re is reaso n to believe that C O V ID -19 m ay be spread am ongst the
populatio n by vario us m eans of exposure, incl uding the pro pensity to spread person-to-person
a nd the pro p ens ity to attach to surfaces fo r pro lo nged periods of tim e, thereby spreading fro m
surf ace to pe rso n and causing pro pert y loss and dam a ge in certain circum stances;
WHEREAS, the m edia has repo rt ed that tw o religious leaders in the S urf side/B al
H arbour area have contracted C O V ID -19 , and acco rdingly, continued gatherings in places of
p ublic asse m b lage , such as relig io us institutions, poses a risk to the health, safety and w elfare
o f the peo p le of the C ity of M ia m i B each;
WHEREAS, since M ia m i-D ade C ounty's initia l declaration of a S tate of Em ergency,
M iam i-D a de C o unty has issued vario us E m erge ncy O rders tem porarily closing public and
p rivate fac ilitie s , incl uding the tem po rary closure of all non-essential retail and com m ercial
e stablish m e nts w ithin M ia m i-D ad e C o unty (as such te rm is defined in M iam i-Dade County's
E m erg e ncy O rde rs), subje ct to any furt he r restrictio ns as m ay be ordered by m unicipalities
w ithin the ir ju risdictio ns; and
WHEREAS, in response to the threat posed by C O V ID-19 to the health, safety and
w elfare of the C ity's reside nts, since M arch 12, 2020, I, as City M anager of the City of M iam i
B each, ha ve im posed a num be r of tem po rary em e rge ncy m easures to lim it the inflow of leisure
guests to the C ity and require the cl osure of, and lim it cro w ds in, public facilities, public
p ro pert y, and pla ces of public asse m b lage (incl uding , w ithout lim itation, hotels, restaurants,
b ars, n ightcl u bs, concert ha lls, entert ainm ent venues, m ovie theaters, and houses of w orship),
a s w ell as othe r restrictio ns on travel and gathe ring s of any num ber of people, incl uding
im positio n of a ge ne ral curf ew thro ug ho ut the C ity, in order to reduce com m unity spread, relieve
pressure on ho spitals and healthcare personne l, pro tect w orkers, and m aintain social order;
an d
3
D e c la r a tio n o f a S ta te o f E m e r g e n c y
M a r c h 2 6 , 2 0 2 0
P a g e 4 o f 5
WHEREAS, othe r counties and m unicipalities in Florida, incl uding M iam i-Dade County,
M onro e C o unty and K ey B iscay ne , have issued em ergency orders w ith restrictions on
com m e rcia l lodg ing establishm e nts w ithin their jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, m any countrie s have enacted trave l restrictions in response to the spread
o f C O VI D -19 , incl udi ng the U nited S tates, w hich issued a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" global health
a dv isory , advising U .S . citizens to avoid all intern ational travel due to the global im pact of
C O VI D -19; and
WHEREAS, in an effort to furt he r im plem e nt social distancing practices to curb the
spread of C O VI D -19, on M a rch 23 , 2020 , I, as C ity M anager, issued a "S afer at Hom e"
E m e rge ncy O rde r, requiring all perso ns living in the C ity to rem ain in their hom es to the
m ax im um extent possible , except to engage in essentia l activities as set fo rt h in the O rder; and
WHEREAS, other citie s in M ia m i-D ade C o unty, including M iam i, Surf side, Nort h Bay
V illage , A ventura, and B ay H a rbo r Isla nds have also issued sim ilar orders fo r residents; and
WHEREAS, how ever, do m e stic air travel rem a ins unrestricted and Florida continues to
receive gue sts and visitors fr om hig h risk areas, such as visitors fro m New York seeking shelter
in Florida , potentia lly furt he r com po unding the pub lic he a lth em ergency and straining resources
fo r local gov ern m e nts in Flo rid a ; and
WHEREAS, on M a rch 23 , 2020 , Flo rida G o ve rn or Ron Des antis executed Executive
O rde r N o . 20 -80 , requi ring visitors entering the State of Florida thro ugh airports from New York,
N ew Je rsey , and C o nnecticut to iso late or quarantine fo r a period of 14 days fo llow ing their
a rriv al in F lo rida , in an effort to sto p the spread of C O V ID -19; and
WHEREAS, pursua nt to S e ction 26-33 of the C ity C ode and Chapter 252 of the Florida
S tatu tes , I, as C ity M a nage r of the C ity of M iam i B each, am authorized to order and pro m ulgate
d iscretio na ry em e rge ncy m easures, w ith such lim itations and conditions as the City M anager
m ay dee m ap pro p riate; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to C ity C ode S ectio n 26-35, th e duration of such Declaration of a
S tate of E m e rge nc y (and any suc h discretionary em e rgency m easures im plem ented pursuant
th e reto) is lim ited to a period of 72 consecutive ho urs, unless an extension is authorized by the
C ity C o m m issio n by du ly ena cted resolution in a regular or special session of the City
C om m issio n ; and
WHEREAS, S ect ion 252.3 8 of the Flo rida S tatutes pro vides that the duration of each
S tate of E m e rge ncy decl a red locally is lim ited to a period of seven (7) days; how ever, Section
2 52 .38 also pro v ide s that such lo cal S tate of E m e rgency m ay be extended, as necessary , in
7 -day incr e m en ts; and
WHEREAS, in R eso lutio n N o . 2020-312 19, th e M ayor and City Com m ission further
au tho riz ed the C ity M anage r to co ntinue to extend the D ecl aration of a S tate of Em ergency in
4
D e cl a r a tio n o f a S ta te o f E m e rg e n c y
M a r c h 2 6 , 2 0 2 0
P a g e 5 o f 5
the City of Miami Beach, for four (4) additional 7-day increments, which would commence on
March 26, 2020, and end on April 23, 2020.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY L. MORALES, as City Manager for the City of Miami
Beach, Florida, pursuant to the authority vested in me under Section 26-31 of the City of Miami
Beach Code of Laws and Ordinances (the "City Code"), have determined that there is reason
to believe that there exists a clear and present danger of a riot or other general public
disorder, widespread disobedience of the law, and substantial injury to persons or to property,
all of which constitute an imminent threat to public peace or order, and to the general welfare
of the City of Miami Beach, based upon the COVID-19 pandemic. I further find that it is
necessary to continue to take immediate action to control and reduce threats associated with
the COVID-19, to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the people of the City of
Miami Beach.
BASED ON THE FOREGOING, I HEREBY extend the Declaration of a State of
Emergency in the City of Miami Beach to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and extend
the Emergency Measures ordered and promulgated on March 20, 2020, and on March
23, 2020 (the "Safer At Home" Emergency Order), as may be further amended, for an
additional period of seven (7) days, commencing at 12:00 a.m. on March 27, 2020, and
ending at 11 :59 p.m. on April 2, 2020, unless extended by the Miami Beach City
Commission by duly enacted Resolution in regular or special session, or by the City
Manager pursuant to City Resolution No. 2020-31219.
Any violation of these emergency measure(s) shall subject the individual, operator,
business entity, or organization to arrest and criminal prosecution pursuant to Section 26-
36 and Section 1-14 of the City Code.
CITY OF MIAMI EACH, FLORIDA
do, City Clerk
Ti me:. 7•7 0 A-
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF M IAM I -D AD E
I, RAFAEL E. GRANADO, Cy Clerk of the City oi
Miami Beach, Florida, do hereby certify that the
abo ve and foregoing is a true and correct copy of
r file in !his offis the original therot on t e uw: Ur-·
gr;yr3g my hand and se al of said City this Wit.s; "''}' '·v -- 2 0 Zo day of Ac4 - s
5
. Haf~anado . --~
City Clerk of the City of Miami B each , Florida