Ocean City Amended Earlier Orders to Extend Restrictions

(April 28, 2020) – Orders laying out restrictions have been  extended  to May 15 and May 22, 2020.  Here is a link to the updated Declaration.

The Mayor and other Town Council Members stressed that restrictions could be lifted sooner. They are following Governor Hogan’s guidelines and if the Governor’s Road to Recovery Plan advises entering stage 1 sooner than current dates restrictions could change.

DECLARATION

AMENDING ORDERS OF MARCH 22, 2020

DECLARATION AMENDING ORDERS OF MARCH 16, 2020, MARCH 22,

2020, MARCH 29, 2020, AND MARCH 31, 2020 RELATED TO COMBATING THE SPREAD OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

WHEREAS, a Civil Emergency was declared by the Town of Ocean City on March 16, 2020, and seven emergency Orders were enacted to adopt Governor Hogan’s executive order of March 16, 2020 and to adopt other local measures to protect those who live a:nd work in Ocean City during this public health emergency;

WHEREAS, the World Health Organization has declared COVID–19 a global health pandemic and the President of the United States declared the COVID–19 pandemic a national emergency;

WHEREAS, on March 26, 2020, Maryland received a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Government related to COVID–19;

WHEREAS, subsequent to the March 16, 2020 Declaration, on March 22nct, March 29th, and March 31^st additional Declarations were issued by the Mayor and City Council for the protection of the life, safety and welfare of the residents of the Town of Ocean City;.

WHEREAS, on April 24, 2020, Governor Hogan released “Maryland Strong; Roadmap to Recovery” which is the State of Maryland’s path to gradually and responsibly reopening the State’s economy while protecting public health and continuing to combat the COVID–19 pandemic;

WHEREAS, the Governor’s Roadmap has laid out four building blocks that are necessary mitigation for the State to move towards recovery. These include: 1) procuring sufficient personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers; 2) generating hospital surge capacity; 3) having adequate testing capacity; and 4) a robust contact tracing program;

WHEREAS, the Governor’s Roadmap additionally divides the recovery plan into three phases: Low, Medium and High Risk. The “Low Risk”, first phase of the Roadmap to Recovery, will involve business, community, religious, and quality of life improvements as well as lifting the “Stay–At-Home” Order, however presently the Governor’s “Stay–At-Home” Order remains in effect and the State has not yet moved into the initial recovery phase;

WHEREAS, the Town of Ocean City looks forward to a time where it can begin shifting from the mitigation phase to the recovery phase in its COVID-19 response , however, now is still not the time to visit Ocean City.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD W. MEEHAN, Mayor of the Town of Ocean City, and pursuant to the power and authority of Town Code Sec. 18-1 – 18–4, do hereby enact the following Order on April 28, 2020, to further combat the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus;

Effective at the time and for the duration, hereinafter set forth, the following emergency ORDER is enacted and is subject to amendment and additional Orders at the discretion oflocal authorities based on re-evaluation of the status of the public health emergency:

1. All Orders set forth in the Declaration of March 16, 2020 shall remain in effect except that social gatherings (which shall include c01mnunity, spiritual, religious, recreational, leisure and sports gatherings and events) of more than ten (10) people are prohibited in all locations and venues.

2)All Orders set forth in the Declaration of March 22, 2020 and March 29, 2020 are hereby extended with amendment, until May 15, 2020 or sooner by Declaration issued in conjunction with the Governor’s lifting of the “Stay-At-Home Order” and the implementation of the Low Risk phase of the Roadmap to Recovery. For clarity this shall mean:

1. All Ocean City beach areas shall remain closed, including all access points. Residents who reside within the corporate limits of Ocean City shall be permitted to walk their dogs, exercise or otherwise sit, lay or play on the beach in groups of no more than two adults and minor children at any time. Social distancing shall remain a requirement.
2. The Ocean City Boardwalk shall remain closed.

1. 1. The Inlet Parking Lot shall remain closed.

1. 1. Any Marylander, or person visiting Maryland, who has recently traveled to New York or the tri-state area, shall self-quarantine in place, and limit all contact with others for at least 14 days.

1. The Order in the March 31, 2020 Declaration prohibiting hotels, motels, vacation rentals (which shall include those properties rented directly by the owner or through any third party rental company or host platform) and other c01mnercial lodging establishments from accepting any occupants regardless of when the reservation was made or extend an existing reservation for persons other than Essential Lodgers shall be extended to May 22, 2020 or sooner by Declaration issued in conjunction with the Governor’s lifting of the “Stay-At-Home Order” and the implementation the Low Risk phase of the Roadmap to Recovery. The definition of an “Essential Lodger” can be found in the March 31, 2020 Declaration.

1. Voluntary compliance is the goal. Non-compliance could be subject to civil or criminal penalties and/or impact a business and rental license.

It is further Ordered that this Declaration be posted for public display at both City Hall and the Public Safety Building, and be distributed to the news media.