Summary of Changes to the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Order
Governor Whitmer extended the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through May 15. Executive Order #2020-59 clarifies, restates, and expands Executive Order #2020-42, as well as creates new exceptions and further guidance on social distancing. The City of Harbor Springs has provided this summary to help residents and businesses understand the changes. For further details and the precise language used in the executive order, please visit the Governor’s Executive Orders webpage by clicking on the following link: Governor’s Executive Orders
General: In general, the same movement restrictions apply to most individuals, with some new exceptions as detailed below. Right now, the general rule is to only leave your home as necessary for groceries, medicine or medical care, to care for a family member, if you’re an essential worker or part of the critical workforce, or for engaging in any of the other allowable activities.
Outdoor Recreation: Boating and golfing are now permissible recreation activities. However, individuals must still practice social distancing by remaining six (6) feet away from others not part of their household when partaking in outdoor recreation. Harbor Springs’ parks remain open, but playground equipment are taped off and not disinfected.
Construction: In general, construction is still not allowed unless it is considered essential or critical infrastructure, as defined in #EO 2020-59. Emergency repairs and work necessary to protect the integrity of a project or structure from the elements are still allowed, but any residential or commercial construction that goes beyond that is not allowed. Governor Whitmer indicated that she is looking into allowing more types of construction to continue and should have more information on that topic by next week.
Resumed Business Activities: The following are business activities that are now allowed: a) Processing or fulfilling remote orders for goods for delivery or curbside pick-up; b) bicycle repair and maintenance; c) garden stores and nurseries; d) lawn care, pest control, and landscaping operations; e) maintenance and grounds keeping work for places of outdoor recreation; and f) moving or storage operations.
Business Social Distancing Practices: All businesses must do the following:
a) Provide face coverings for workers performing in-person work;
b) Develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan, which is consistent with the recommendations in OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19;
c) Restrict the number of workers present on a premise to no more than is necessary to perform the work;
d) Promote remote work from home as much as possible;
e) Keep workers and patrons six (6) feet apart;
f) Increase cleaning and disinfection of the work environment;
g) Adopt policies to prevent potentially COVID-19 infected employees from coming in to work;
h) If working in the moving, storage, garden, landscaping, or grounds keeping sectors: 1) Do not allow gatherings of any size in which people cannot maintain six (6) feet of distance from one another; 2) limit in-person interaction with clients and patrons; 3) provide gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate to employees; and 4) limit sharing of tools and equipment.
Grocery Stores and Pharmacies: Executive Order #2020-60 has additional protocols and safety measures for food-selling establishments and pharmacies.
Facemasks in Public: Any individual medically able to must wear a face covering when in any enclosed space outside the home. The face covering must cover the nose and mouth.
Second Homes: Individuals may now travel between homes or move into a new home, but unnecessary travel is still discouraged.
Vacation and Short Term Rentals: Short term rentals are still prohibited.
The City Council will discuss COVID-19 updates at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, May 4 at 7:00 PM. That meeting will be held remotely and the public may participate by teleconference or on YouTube livestream.
