Laguna Woods Village mandates face coverings with a fine of up to $250
If caught in a public area not wearing a face covering, residents of Laguna Woods Village could be fined $50 to $250 and have their access to the private senior community’s facilities, such as tennis and lawn bowling courts, suspended for up to 30 days.
Laguna Woods Village, which encompasses about 90 percent of the city Laguna Woods, has become one of the first major entities in Orange County to put some teeth behind Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide order requiring masks in all public spaces. The enforcement policy, approved by its multiple governing boards, will be in effect for up to 120 days starting on Monday, July 6, following a week warning period.
Visitors and contractors entering the gated Village will need to show they are wearing face covering and can have their access to the community suspended for 14 days for a first violation, 30 days for the second and 60 days for the third.
As one of the largest retirement communities in the country, the Village is home to some 18,000 residents.
“They’ve just been closely watching the metrics, and we’re kind of over the edge in Orange County at the moment,” said Eileen Paulin, director of media and communications for the Village, of why the directors created the enforcement policy. “We are a very high-risk community.”
On Monday, state health officials added Orange County to its watch list of counties that could face new lockdown orders because the of an upturn in positive tests for the virus and hospitalizations, among other monitored metrics. The city of Laguna Woods had 17 reported cases as of Monday.
Most of the amenities at the Village remain closed to the residents, although golf courses and tennis courts are among the few that have reopened. To keep its residents safe, the Village has most of its staff work remotely, Paulin said.
Still, “there were some serious concerns about people not following the state mandate,” Paulin said.
The Village is also stopping its fixed-route bus service this week because a staff member in the transportation division has tested positive for the coronavirus. While that wasn’t the main factor in why the directors created the face covering policy, it’s a reminder that the virus is still around, Paulin said. “We want to remind people, don’t get lazy.”
The city of Laguna Woods had considered, but ultimately decided against making face coverings mandatory in May before Newsom imposed a statewide requirement, Mayor Noel Hatch said.
But Hatch said he supports the Village’s policy – he is also a resident – saying council members voted against the mask mandate primarily because they weren’t sure the city could enforce it.
“Inside the Village, I think we are equipped to handle that,” he said. “We were unanimous in our belief that masks were an essential requirement when we went to Costco or whenever we were out.”
People exercising in sports areas such as golf courses and tennis courts are exempt from the requirement if they practice social distancing, officials said. People who need to see the mouth for communication or who have conditions that prevent them from wearing a face covering are also exempt, although they are required to wear a face shield if possible.
The Village’s new policy also bans a gathering of more than 10 people, with fines of up to $250 and suspension of access to community facilities for up to 30 days for those who violate the rule.
from https://ift.tt/eA8V8J Orange County Register https://ift.tt/2NSOZjD
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