FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan has implemented new restrictions on bars and restaurants in the city in response to the threat of COVID-19.
Effective immediately, bars and restaurants are required to observe an occupancy rate of no more than 50% of that set by the Fire Marshal. They will also be required to space tables and barstools at least six-feet apart and limit party sizes to fewer than 10 people, as recommended by the CDC.
The ordinance giving the mayor this authority passed the City Council unanimously on Monday.
“The purpose of limiting capacity in these establishments is to help “flatten the curve,” an approach recommended by multiple health and scientific organizations for slowing the rate of COVID-19 infections. Slowing infection rates helps prevent medical providers from becoming overloaded and reaching a point where they can no longer provide treatment to all those infected.”
City of Fayetteville
These regulations will be reevaluated every day and are subject to change. The mayor says he anticipated more stringent methods may be required
Compliance will be enforced by the Fayetteville Fire Department. The city says the public can “contact the non-emergency line for Police and Fire Dispatch at 479-587-3560 with reports of observed non-compliance.”
” Many establishments have already implemented these social distancing practices, and Mayor Jordan thanks them for proactively working to protect the health and safety of their customers and workers,” the city said in a release on Tuesday.
