TALLAHASSEE – Vacation rentals must remain shuttered while restaurants and retail stores can partially open under phase one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new plan to reopen Florida’s economy.
Set forth in Executive Order 20-112, the first phase of the governor’s “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery” takes effect Monday, May 4 and does not have an expiration date.
DeSantis’ executive order does not yet apply to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, but he said those three counties at the epicenter of Florida’s coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are making good progress on flattening their curves.
Before presenting the plan details during his Wednesday evening press conference, DeSantis said, “It’s been a tough two months for our country. The coronavirus is a formidable enemy, especially for our elderly and our medically vulnerable populations. We have lost Floridians, which is never an easy thing.”
“The unprecedented national shutdown has thrown the lives of millions of Americans into economic and social turmoil. Floridians have lost jobs through no fault of their own and many are fearful of what may come next. Others have seen small businesses that represent their life’s work devastated practically overnight. This current crisis has impacted in one way or another 21 and a half million Floridians in life-changing ways. Today, Florida will take a step towards a more hopeful future,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said he received input and advice from physicians, health care system executives, small business owners, elected officials, unemployed Floridians and law enforcement officials. He also convened the Re-Open Florida Task Force that produced a report and recommendations.
DeSantis said Florida’s reopening plan resembles the three-phase recovery plan guidelines recently released by the federal government. He said the plan will be reviewed daily and decisions pertaining to the implementation of future phases will also be based on data and input from medical professionals and others.
According to DeSantis’ reopening plan:
- “Vulnerable individuals should avoid close contact with people outside the home;
- “All individuals, when in public, should maximize physical distance from others;
- “Avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for physical distancing;
- Face masks are recommended for all those in face-to-face interactions and where you can’t social distance.”
Restaurants, retail and more
Under the reopening plan beginning on Monday:
- Florida restaurants can resume indoor dining at 25% of their normal seating capacity. Outdoor dining can also resume with tables spaced at least 6 feet apart. While dining inside or out, no more than 10 people are allowed in a group.
- Bars, pubs and nightclubs that derive more than 50% of their gross revenue from alcohol sales will remain closed.
- Retail stores can operate at no more than 25% of their capacity and must abide by CDC and OSHA safety guidelines.
- Gyms and fitness centers will remain closed. DeSantis said hair salons, nail salons and other personal service providers cannot yet provide those services but can sell their retail products.
- Libraries and museums can reopen at 25% capacity.
- Elective surgeries and medical procedures can resume.
- Florida schools will continue to operate with distance learning.
- Visitors remain prohibited at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
During press inquiries, DeSantis was asked about businesses that are allowed to be open and businesses that are not.
“There’s no gray area. The order continues the essential business framework, so anyone under that framework is good to go. And then it allows responsible activity to include these new things like the retail. If you were good before, you’re good now,” DeSantis said.
Vacation rentals
During Wednesday’s press conference, DeSantis was silent on vacation rentals and whether he planned to extend Executive Order 20-87, an order that prohibited vacation rental operations through Thursday, April 30.
But the reopening plan executive order released later that evening says, “The prohibition on vacation rentals in Executive Order 20-87 remains in effect for the duration of the new order.”
On Wednesday, DeSantis also issued Executive Order 20-111, an order that fills a gap by extending until Monday his vacation rental order (EO 20-87) and his essential businesses/stay-at-home order (EO 20-91).
The Anna Maria City Commission will conduct an emergency meeting at 10 a.m. on Friday to discuss parking restrictions and whether to continue the mayor’s local emergency order that prohibits new vacation rental reservations for guest arrivals through June 30.
The city of Holmes Beach also has local emergency vacation rental restrictions in place.
Local reaction
Soon after DeSantis’ conference ended, local restaurant operators and employees were already making their response plans.
Bartender Staci Wilkinson said Tide Tables in Cortez would be ready to go on Monday.
“We’ve moved all our picnic tables six feet apart. The majority of our seating is outside, so this is great news for us. We still expect a lot of takeout orders too, because not everyone will feel comfortable going out to eat right away. We’re prepared for anything and everything,” she said.
In Bradenton Beach, Bridge Tender Inn owner Fred Bartizal said, “It’ll be nice that people can actually sit in the restaurant with an open container, so it will definitely help. I certainly don’t want to be too quick to open it up completely.”
Drift In manager Doreen Flynn acknowledged social distancing would be a challenge inside the Bradenton Beach bar.
“It’s good that all those employees are getting their jobs back. I just wish we were included. I look forward to seeing Bridge Street open again. I watch the camera at the bar and it’s a ghost town,” Flynn said.
Drift In bartender Sharon Bell worked her last bar shift on St. Patrick’s Day – the day Florida’s bars closed in accordance with DeSantis’ executive order.
“I don’t understand how having a kitchen makes anyone safer? I feel like if we’re safe, we’re safe; and if it’s still dangerous, it’s still dangerous. I don’t understand how this is an apples-to-oranges situation,” Bell said.
Sports Lounge bartender Courtney McGough somewhat sarcastically said, “I’m glad they (restaurants) can serve alcohol while I wait for another month. I really hope this isn’t too early.”
Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said he’s not ready to resume sit down dining yet in the Cortez restaurant.
“For us to open, we must have everything in place. If one of my employees gets sick and I have to shut down for two weeks what good is that? I don’t feel comfortable with it,” Slicker said.
COVID-19 in Manatee County
As of Wednesday evening, Florida had 33,193 reported COVID-19 cases, 5,419 hospitalizations and 1,218 COVID-19-connected deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard.
As of Wednesday, there were still no reported COVID-19 cases in the city of Anna Maria. Since the pandemic began in the United States there has been one reported case in Holmes Beach and one reported case in Bradenton Beach.
The Holmes Beach case was reported on April 2. The Bradenton Beach case involved 68-year-old Bradenton Beach resident Tom Sheehan, who died at a Sarasota hospital in late March while being treated for COVID-19 upon his return from a cruise ship vacation.
As of Wednesday, Manatee County had 564 reported COVID-19 cases, 142 hospitalizations and 49 COVID-19-connected deaths. Of those reported cases, 394 were in Bradenton and 162 were in the 34208 zip code that contains portions of Bradenton, Ellenton and Samoset, making it the zip code with the most reported cases in the Tampa Bay region.
Also as of Wednesday, there were 24 reported COVID-19 deaths associated with nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care facility residents or staff members in Manatee County. There were 21 such deaths in Sarasota County. Manatee County ranks fourth-highest in the state in that category and Sarasota County ranks fifth-highest.
Ten long-term care facilities in Manatee County listed a total of 97 COVID-19-positive cases among residents and transferred residents and 81 reported cases among staff members.
Regularly updated county-by-county and zip code specific COVID-19 data can be found at the FDOH COVID-19 Dashboard.
