OMNIBUS STATE OF EMERGENCY ORDINANCE - Continued Closure of City Facilities and Small Business Relief
City of Alpharetta buildings and most park facilities could remain closed through May 30 following the passage of a new emergency ordinance by the Alpharetta City Council. The ordinance also continues the business assistance provisions that the City enacted on April 1.
Both moves are part of the City’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The number one priority for any local government is the safety of their community. And as Alpharetta prepares for the recovery phase of this unprecedented health crisis, the safety of our community is even more important than ever before. So as restrictions expire and our citizens resume making decisions about what is safe for themselves, their families and their businesses, the City of Alpharetta is committed to providing a safe environment for them. Our city’s professional staff have done an incredible job of serving and protecting the people of Alpharetta throughout this unprecedented challenge and have been hard at work planning how to carefully resume operation of city facilities and programs once it is safe to do so.” said Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin.
City officials have developed a multi-phased plan for the reopening of public facilities as conditions allow and necessary sanitation and protective supplies are available in sufficient quantities. The plan details such things as how facilities are to be cleaned, social distancing will be maintained, and the factors that the City Administrator, in consultation with the Mayor and City Council, will use to determine when it is appropriate to progress through the plan stages.
“We will implement the plan as quickly as possible, but no facility or program will open until the public can rest assured, we have done everything we can to protect their health and safety.” Gilvin said. “That remains our top priority. If a building or program can be safely opened before May 30th, it will be. But my fellow council members and I will only allow us to resume activities when it is safe.”
Alpharetta’s emergency operations ordinance also provides for the continuation of several measures the City enacted in early April to help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include:
• Extending to June 30 the deadline for businesses to obtain their 2020 business licenses without penalty;
• Extending to June 30 the deadline for businesses that sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises to submit their monthly excise tax payments and reports for months of February, March, and April 2020; and
• Allowances for additional signage for restaurants providing to-go and curbside pickup services
Mayor Gilvin has also launched the Alpharetta Business Recovery Task Force to help guide the City and local businesses on how best to reopen the local economy while protecting public health and safety. The intent is for the task force to share best practices and advise the City on challenges and issues that local government may be able to help address.
“Already the task force has identified needs that we may be able to help with,” said Gilvin. “For example, businesses are working hard to comply with the various requirements outlined in Governor Kemp’s orders but have asked if City Codes Enforcement Officers could, if requested by a business, inspect their efforts and advise if they appear to fully comply with the State’s requirements. That idea is now under review by the City Attorney.”
“It is important that all of us, citizens, businesses, and government, work together and act responsibly in order for our community to safely and successfully recover from COVID-19,” Gilvin said.