City of Miami Restaurants Can Operate At 100% Capacity, Curfew Pushed Back To Midnight
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Restaurants in the City of Miami can now operate at 100% capacity as long as social distancing requirements can be met and there's a new curfew.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced the new rules and guidelines on Friday afternoon after the city commission approved the changes on Thursday night.
The commission voted to allow restaurants to operate at 100% capacity as long as social distancing remains intact and restaurants can also seat up to 10 people from a single party per table.
"We have worked closely with the hospitality industry to provide the necessary training to ensure a comfortable and secure experience for our residents, guests and visitors," said Mayor Francis. "As we open up, please continue wearing a mask, practice social distancing and acting responsibly for not only yourselves, but for your loved ones."
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In addition, the commission made a change to the curfew.
"Following yesterday's vote, the city of Miami will enforce the countywide curfew beginning at midnight, pushing it back an hour," said the Mayor.
"As you know, I have disagreed with the curfew for quite some time. And I think this will give our restaurants and businesses the opportunity to recover and create more jobs," said Suarez.
He added that he has asked Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to push the curfew back and even asked him to get rid of it altogether but he is still waiting for a response.
"The County has continued to ask for our support in enforcing the curfew, but at the same time, they refuse to provide the City with any CARES Act money to fund our police, fire and enforcement services up till now. And we're hoping to get some of that CARES Act funding as quickly as possible."
Suarez says with the new curfew enforcement rule, "Tonight, you're going to be able to go watch a HEAT game in the city of Miami at a bar or restaurant without getting kicked out before the game is over."
Hours after Suarez announced the city's new curfew time, Gimenez issued a statement on the county's curfew. The mayor said although there have been some daily testing numbers above the county's goal, overall, the 14-day average has been below 5 percent target, and hospitalizations have not spiked.
"We will monitor this weekend's testing results and hospitalizations, and, if all remains stable, we plan to move the countywide curfew to midnight until 6 a.m., with the allowable exceptions for essential businesses and services, starting Monday, October 12," the mayor said in a statement.
Miami will continue to enforce its mask mandate. Masks are still required in parks, retail stores, restaurants and bars (except when eating), offices, open public spaces, in fitness class, using gym equipment or playing sport for leisure, except tennis.