On April 7, Denton County Judge Andy Eads extended a Stay-at-Home order for all residents of Denton County through the end of April. This update matches the timeline set by the Governor's Executive Orders.
According to County the order, all individuals currently living within Denton County are ordered to Stay at Home except for conducting essential activities. All public or private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit are prohibited. The original order included guidelines and definitions for businesses, food establishments, churches and medical facilities but has since been amended to encourage all queries be directed to the Texas Department of Emergency Management website. All residents are encouraged to read the full text of the order.
Effective 11:59 p.m. March 25, continuing for 7 days; thereafter extended through April 30
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Also on March 31, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott renewed and expanded his previous statewide directive through the end of April, enforcing federal social distancing guidelines for COVID-19, closing schools through May 4 and instructing Texans to avoid eating or drinking at bars and restaurants, to minimize social gatherings, and to minimize contact with people who are not in the same household.
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On March 23, The Colony City Council unanimously approved a resolution continuing and renewing the Mayoral Declaration of a Local Disaster in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in North Texas. The declaration takes effect immediately and shall remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. April 22, 2020, whereupon such date the City Council shall assess and consider further amendment, renewal, extension, or repeal. The updated declaration incorporates previous orders (see below) from Denton County on March 22 and the Governor’s Office on March 19, while also accounts for future provisions of any Executive Order or directive issued by the President of the United States, the Governor of the State of Texas, or the County Judge of Denton County (see above).
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION, MARCH 23, 2020
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On March 22, Denton County Judge Andy Eads issued a new executive order for disaster declaration for public health emergency to preserve public health and safety effective at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23. The order:
- restricts all community gatherings across Denton County to 10 people or fewer;
- orders that the public or patrons cannot occupy bars, lounges, taverns, commercial amusement establishments, bingo halls, theaters, gyms, private clubs, hair and nail salons and barber shops, estheticians and related personal care businesses, spas, massage parlors, tattoo and piercing parlors, tanning salons, residential meeting spaces, event centers, hotel meeting spaces and ballrooms, outdoor plazas and markets, malls and retail stores that do not sell essential household goods;
- Allows the following entities to continue doing business as long as they enforce social separation: grocery stores, stores selling essential household goods, convenience and package stores, pharmacies and drug stores, daycare facilities, medical facilities, non-profit service providers, homeless and emergency shelters, office buildings, essential government buildings, airports and transit facilities, transportation systems, residential buildings and hotels, and manufacturing and distribution facilities. In all such locations, there must always be sufficient space for all people to be six feet apart to control infection. Where possible, a tracking list of individuals present, and their contact information shall be maintained;
- Calls on businesses that remain open to be very strict on social distancing; and,
- Requests retail suppliers use commonsense rationing of household products and groceries that are in limited supply.
“Today, I am taking further stringent steps to reduce the risk of infection across Denton County as part of a regional approach to reducing the spread of COVID-19. However, we cannot ask our businesses to bear the brunt of these actions and not do our own part. It is incumbent upon all of us to stay at home, if possible, and take commonsense steps to limit our interactions with others outside of our respective homes,” Judge Eads said.
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On March 18, Denton County Judge Andy Eads signed an amended disaster declaration for all of Denton County (including The Colony) with restrictions on public gatherings & restaurant operations. The amended Denton County declaration was effective as of 11:59 a.m. Thursday, March 19, and continuing through 11 a.m. March 25, 2020. It included new restrictions on public gatherings; closes bars, taverns, and gyms; and only allows for drive-through/take-out/delivery at restaurants. On March 19, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also issued new Executive Orders, effective midnight March 20 through April 3, as part of efforts to continue slowing the spread of the disease.
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Previously, in response to concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19 in North Texas, The Colony Mayor Joe McCourry issued a local disaster declaration on March 17 alongside other steps the city has been taking to minimize exposure in the community, including closing some facilities.
"These steps are not taken lightly but out of an abundance of caution and as a means of necessary ’social distancing,’ which are actions meant to limit large gatherings of people. Additional safety measures may be implemented in the coming days and weeks," he said. The Colony City Council conducted a Special Meeting on March 23.