Sand Springs City Council on Nov. 23 unanimously passed a citywide ordinance requiring face coverings in public places effective Nov. 27. Councilors stated they will continue to review the ordinance on a monthly basis, as has been the case since the early stages of the pandemic. Click here to read more from the Sand Springs Leader.
Related gallery: Sand Springs City Council approves mask ordinance
The Sand Springs City Council unanimously approved Ordinance No. 1359 on Monday, Nov. 23 which included a COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Response clause which put the ordinance in effect Friday.
The ordinance requires that persons located within the City of Sand Springs are required to wear a face covering at all times while present in spaces being used for business, entertainment, education, athletic and recreational uses.
Some spaces identified in the ordinance include:
Business - Retail businesses; spas; entertainment venues; food service facilities including restaurant and bars; hotels; motels; professional offices; banks and financial services; repair facilities and/ or motor vehicle dealerships.
Public setting - Workplaces; child care facilities; hospitals and health facilities; gymnasium and physical fitness facilities; sports facilities; parks; trails, sidewalks and outdoor retail areas.
Educational setting - Any building or facility used for academic or athletic purposes including campuses; any private school or preschool.
The ordinance relies on some guidelines from the US Center for Disease Control which allows exemptions to facial coverings for:
• persons with medical, mental health or developmental disability reasons
• children age 9 years or younger
• restaurant patrons while eating or drinking
• occupants in a personal vehicle
• persons exercising, who can maintain six feet of social distance
An additional exemption was added to the ordinance last night by council members for individuals engaged in a team sports activity where the level of exertion makes it difficult to wear a face covering.
Religious facilities and places of worship are provided the opportunity to be governed by their own policies regarding facial coverings. The Sand Springs Local Church Network and the City of Sand Springs have worked together since before the pandemic outbreak, sharing community health updates, statistics and other important information related to COVID-19 to lessen the spread of the virus.
Enforcement of the ordinance shall be made upon complaint from any property owner or from a law enforcement officer. Sand Springs Police advises that their intent is to meet any initial response to a call out with educational information for all persons involved in a situation, but will take each instance on a case-by-case basis.
This ordinance will remain in place until further notice and shall expire along with other COVID-19 emergency proclamations or declarations.
