Florida governor to allow gyms and beaches to reopen in Palm Beach County on Monday

Restaurants, retail allowed to operate at 50% capacity with some exceptions

Florida Allowing Gyms, Beaches To Reopen in Palm Beach
Florida Allowing Gyms, Beaches To Reopen in Palm Beach

UPDATED, May 18, 9:40 a.m.: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the first phase of reopening businesses, allowing gyms to reopen throughout most of Florida beginning on Monday.

In South Florida, gyms will be allowed to open in Palm Beach County as well as in the Florida Keys, but will not be allowed to reopen in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Restaurants, which already began to reopen outside of Miami-Dade and Broward, will all be able to operate at 50 percent capacity beginning on Monday.

Beaches will also reopen in Palm Beach County on Monday, according to the Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach County Commission voted on Friday to reopen the beaches.

DeSantis’ executive order allows for restaurants, retail, museums and gyms to operate at up to 50 percent capacity, excluding employees, with a minimum of six feet between parties. Bars must remain closed. Outdoor seating is encouraged.

Gyms will also be required to abide by social distancing and cleaning protocols. Throughout the state, professional sports will be able to operate.

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On Thursday, DeSantis announced that Miami-Dade and Broward counties can begin to reopen businesses on Monday, May 18. Palm Beach County entered phase one of reopening this past Monday.

Miami-Dade will now allow limited openings of restaurants, warehouses, manufacturing, office buildings and a specific list of businesses, Gimenez said. Spas, bars, gyms, beaches, movie theaters, schools, tattoo shops and other businesses will not be allowed to reopen.

Broward County Mayor Dale Holness said that homeowners and condo associations will be able to open their gyms “in a limited way” on Monday, but commercial gyms will remain closed.

The city of Fort Lauderdale said it will allow commercial gyms to operate at 50 percent indoor capacity, with basketball and racquetball courts and saunas closed. Some amenities in housing developments, excluding hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms and showers, can operate at 50 percent capacity as well.

Within Miami-Dade, some cities such as Miami Beach and Miami are working together on a coordinated reopening that would begin on Wednesday, and delaying the opening of restaurants to May 27.

DeSantis also extended the freeze on residential evictions and foreclosures until June 2. Though the order does not provide financial relief to renters and homeowners, it prevents them from being evicted or foreclosed until next month.