Two Centre Region municipalities on Monday extended their respective temporary COVID-19 mitigation ordinances for mask-wearing and gathering limits.
State College Borough Council voted unanimously to extend its ordinance until May 31, or when the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Centre Region Council of Governments rescind their emergency declarations, whichever is earlier. It was originally scheduled to expire on Jan. 31.
College Township Council unanimously approved extending its ordinance until April 2 or until the emergency declarations are rescinded. The township ordinance was originally scheduled to expire on Tuesday.
State College’s ordinance also was amended to include recommendations from the borough’s Board of Health to align with recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Health Department. Among those, masks are now required when participating in indoor physical activity in a gym, fitness center or group fitness classes.
The amended ordinance added an exception for mask-wearing when working alone and isolated from interaction with others, such as a lone worker inside the enclosed cab of a crane of construction equipment, a person by themselves inside an office with four walls and a door, a person in a cubicle with high walls and no expectation of in-person interaction, or a person working alone outside with no anticipated contact with others
It also removed a mask-wearing exception for private businesses where no clients or members of the public were present and 6 feet of distance was maintained. Now the only exception within private businesses is for those working alone.
On the recommendation of Councilman Peter Marshall, grocery stores also will be reminded that they should contact the borough if a customer is not wearing a mask so that an officer could determine if the person was exempt from the ordinance.
Assistant Borough Manager Tom King said those establishments would be notified and that the intent of the ordinance is for the borough to enforce it, not businesses.
‘We wouldn’t expect that proof to be given to a business owner,’ King said. ‘That would be proof they would provide to the borough and we would hold off issuing a citation until that documentation was provided.’
The ordinance continues to carry a potential fine of $300 for violations. Since the original version was adopted in August, about 100 citations have been issued, primarily for violations of the gathering limit provisions.
With some exceptions, it limits residential gatherings to 10 people, or no more than the size of a household that exceeds 10, and outdoor gatherings on public properties to 25.
It also requires, again with some exemptions, masks to be worn whenever within six feet of another person not from the same family or household, in or waiting to enter any building open to the public and while on or waiting for public transportation and transit services.
Waiting lines in the public right of way are limited to no more than 10 people spaced at least 6 feet apart.
Council discussed whether the ordinance should also require masks for all outdoor physical activity, but made no further amendments.
King said requiring face coverings for indoor physical activities is consistent with CDC guidelines but requiring them for outdoor activities is not.
Mayor Ron Filippelli asked where high school indoor sports such as State High basketball fit in the ordinance, if at all. Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said schools are governed by state regulations and he was unsure whether the borough could enforce a more restrictive ordinance on schools.
The question appeared to be settled, however, when Council President Jesse Barlow noted that State College Area School District would be requiring face coverings for coaches, staff, athletes not engaged in competition and any spectators who may be in attendance. No further comment was made.
College Township Council, meanwhile, voted to extend its existing ordinance without further modification. The township’s ordinance is mostly similar to State College’s, although gathering limits differ.
Indoor gatherings at residences and municipal property are, with exceptions, limited to 25 people and outdoor gatherings are limited to 50.
Unlike the borough, it does not require documentation from a medical professional for proof of a medical or mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a mask.
Violations of College Township’s ordinance carry a fine of $150 to $300. Hosts of non-exempted events are subject to fines of $1,000.
Council can revisit the ordinance at any time to determine if further restrictions are needed, if it should be loosened or if it should be repealed.
‘I think we should right-size to what the current situation is in a reasonable manner,’ Councilman Paul Takac said.
Fritz Smith, president and CEO of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, said he appreciated the need for mitigation efforts and the township’s willingness to continually evaluate the circumstances related to COVID-19.
‘Obviously we’re in a fluid and unknown situation as to the progress of vaccinations and COVID, but i just think it’s incumbent on all of us to make sure that we can allow events to take place with safe precautions in place but not so restrictive that they impede commerce in College Township,’ Smith said.
