During a special-called meeting on Saturday, March 21, the Mayor and City Council voted unanimously to pass an emergency ordinance declaring a local emergency due to the coronavirus 2019 global pandemic.
The Mayor and Council passed the emergency ordinance following the health guidelines from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Gwinnett County Health Department (GCHD).
The City’s charter empowers the
Mayor and City Council to establish procedures for determining and proclaiming
that an emergency situation exists and to make and carry out all reasonable
provisions deemed necessary to deal with or meet such an emergency for the
protection, safety, health and well-being of its citizens.
“The ordinance recognizes that
the COVID-19 pandemic is a public emergency affecting and threatening our
citizens,” said Mayor Mike Mason. The ordinance is intended to prevent or
minimize the further spread of the virus to all those who live or work in our
community. We continue working closely with county, state and federal leaders
during this unprecedented time in our nation’s history and are prepared to take
additional steps should the need arise.”
The emergency ordinance
provides:
1. Emergency Authority: The City Manager, with the Mayor’s approval, has the authority to take such actions as necessary or appropriate for the public health and safety of Peachtree Corners residents and stakeholders.
2.
Bidding on Contracts: The ordinance suspends the bidding of contracts
and competitive purchasing policy and authorizes the City Manager to use the
single-source authority. The City Manager is required to provide written
justification of each procurement.
3. Public Hearings: To
minimize delays that require a public hearing before a city-affiliated board,
such as the Planning Commission, the Downtown Development Authority or the
Zoning Board of Appeals and a hearing cannot be timely scheduled due to the
COVID-19, city staff will work directly with applicants to ensure that
financial impact and/or disruptions to business function is kept to a minimum
until a public meeting can be scheduled.
4.
Conducting Meetings by Teleconference: The
City Council and all other city boards, commissions, authorities and agencies
may conduct meetings and take votes by teleconference, so long as notice is
given and simultaneous access is provided to the public to the teleconference
meeting.
5. Alcohol Take-Away Permitting: While the city’s emergency ordinance is in effect, businesses that possess a city-issued alcohol license to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption, are authorized to sell unopened bottles, or appropriately sealed containers, of alcohol for take-away consumption off-premises.
In addition to the above-enumerated provisions. The city urges all citizens to review and comply with the CDC coronavirus guidelines; the state’s DPH and the county’s health department.
The emergency ordinance went into effect on Saturday after the council’s vote of approval and will remain in effect for thirty (30) days from the date it was approved. The ordinance does provide that the ordinance may be renewed for one (1) or more additional periods of thirty (30) days (or repealed) at a meeting called by the mayor or three councilmembers.
View the actual ordinance here.
