Alpharetta City Council issued an order effective immediately, Wednesday, for residents to shelter in place, prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people at parks and other opens spaces, as well as the operation of non-essential businesses.
The order is meant to help stop the spread of the coronavirus disease that has become a pandemic.
The Alpharetta decision coincided with the announcement that Gov. Brian Kemp will issue a statewide shelter in place order on Thursday and sign an order to close K-12 schools for the remainder of the year.
The Alpharetta City Council meeting was broadcast through Zoom and drew nearly 300 viewers, according to Mayor Jim Gilvin. Questions arose by Council members and viewer chat posts on what the new order would change from previous restrictions. Residents can still access public parks, restaurants can continue to provide takeout and delivery service, and crews can continue to work construction.
“We don’t see a tremendous amount of difference of how this should affect daily lives,” said Gilvin. “Unfortunately, there have been a few citizens and businesses that really haven’t put forth a very good effort in trying to help protect the public in this crisis.”
Non-essential businesses such as hair and nail salons, barbers and massage parlors would only be able to conduct minor operation functions, said Gilvin and city attorney Sam Thomas.
Elsewhere in North Fulton, Sandy Springs issued a shelter in place order on March 24. This week, Johns Creek and Mountain Park posted Fulton County's stay home order for all residents on their city websites.
“Very soon, within a few weeks, we will be able to weather this storm together, as long as we do what we need to do,” said Gilvin. “We need to stay home. If we don’t have to be out in contact with other people, we need to try not to. Every time we come in contact with other people, we do have the risk of spreading this disease or contracting it ourselves.”
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