Proclamation of the Mayor
I, Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, subject to the authority granted to me pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Ch. 12.29 and Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 128.50-60 do hereby proclaim the following Emergency Regulation:
Emergency Regulation No. 2021-1
Whereas, on March 16, 2020, I declared a local public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of Minneapolis and assumed executive responsibilities attendant thereto; and
Whereas, on July 29, 2020, I issued Emergency Regulation No. 2020-17, which imposed certain regulations and restrictions on customer service within restaurants, nightclubs, brewpubs, breweries, craft distilleries, taprooms, and other indoor spaces of entertainment; and
Whereas, these regulations and restrictions were additional and complimentary to corresponding State of Minnesota gubernatorial executive orders and associated guidance in respect to seating and service at bar counters and bar areas within such licensed establishments; and
Whereas, both the City of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota report areas of improvement in three of the five COVID-19 metrics, including, most notably, new daily positive cases of COVID-19 (seven-day rolling average) trending downward at 10.4 cases per 100,000 tested for Minneapolis and 14.3 cases per 100,000 tested statewide; and
Whereas, the positivity rate (percent of tests that are COVID positive) has been below five percent for four weeks (two incubation periods), the number of hospitalizations has stabilized, and no new outbreaks have been identified in Minneapolis food businesses over the past week; and
Whereas, City staff, including the leadership of the Minneapolis Health Department and the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) concur that the additional Minneapolis-specific bar area restrictions imposed by Emergency Regulation No. 2020-17 may be rescinded; and
Whereas, the State of Minnesota has imposed robust and well-considered emergency regulations, which will continue to apply within the City of Minneapolis, governing the safe operation of restaurants, bars and food establishments to encompass and allow for limited bar counter and bar area seating pursuant to established protocols and social distancing best practices; and
Whereas, overall compliance with Emergency Regulation 2020-17 and other applicable restrictions was generally good and the continued need for a more restrictive stance than the state is no longer necessitated from either a public health or economic vitality standpoint; and
Whereas, it is a priority that race and equity be of paramount consideration in enacting and carrying out emergency regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Whereas, to aid in these efforts, pursuant to the emergency authorities vested in the Mayor pursuant to the emergency declaration to make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency and to adopt protections for the preservation of public health and safety;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby order the following with respect to Emergency Regulation No. 2020-17:
- Emergency Regulation No. 2020-17 is hereby rescinded and of no continuing applicability or effect.
- All applicable executive orders and associated guidance issued by the State of Minnesota relative to the safe operation of restaurants, nightclubs, brewpubs, breweries, craft distilleries, taprooms, and other indoor spaces of entertainment, during the COVID-19 pandemic shall, pursuant to state law, continue to have full force and effect within the City of Minneapolis.
Additional Terms:
1. This Order is effective upon issuance.
Febuary 18, 2021