The City of Jacksonville Beach issued a notice to all contractors and private property owners April 2, notifying them of essential and nonessential construction-related activities.
At 12:01 a.m. April 3, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all nonessential retail and commercial businesses closed.
Jacksonville Beach Chief Building Officer George Knight and Fire Marshal Steve Sciotto issued the notice.
Some construction-related activities still are allowable under the closures:
• Contractors performing emergency repairs or other services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of buildings and critical infrastructure.
• Open construction sites can continue and will be allowed to as long as they’re unenclosed and remain open air.
Anyone engaging in active construction must adhere to social distancing guidelines, and all sites must provide basic infection prevention measures to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
If a site is deemed nonessential, construction companies may send employees to secure the site to make sure it doesn’t sustain damage, remove or secure construction materials, remove temporary facilities, and remove or cover dumpsters.
Any renovation or alteration that isn’t open air must cease immediately for actively permitted projects. New construction can go on, as long as it is open-air construction.
While Jacksonville Beach City Hall is closed to the public until further notice, the Department of Planning and Development will continue to process applications and conduct inspections.
Permits will not be issued for work deemed nonessential. Inspections only will be performed for permitted open construction and the outside of occupied structures for residential and commercial properties. The fire marshal will perform life-safety inspections, if necessary.
Plan review will continue, but permits for nonessential construction will not be issued until the end of the state of emergency.
The notice said failure to comply is punishable to the fullest extent allowed by law.