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Order Also Allows Public and Private Recreational Campgrounds to Reopen
May 23, 2020
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 148, increasing the limit on outdoor gatherings from 10 to 25 people and allowing recreational campgrounds to reopen with social distancing measures in place. The limit on indoor gatherings remains at 10 people. The Order takes effect immediately.“Our steady progress on the road back has been made possible through the hard work and personal responsibility of New Jerseyans to safeguard public health,” said Governor Murphy. “I’m proud that we can confidently take this step today and provide further optimism for the unofficial start of summer.”
Outdoor Gatherings: The Governor’s Executive Order allows outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people so long as the following rules are complied with:
- The gathering must take place entirely outdoors except for restroom use;
- Limit capacity to no more than 25 people at all times;
- Require attendees to be six feet apart at all times, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners;
- Prohibit contact between attendees, and no organized or contact sports;
- If the event is an organized gathering, the organizer should demarcate six feet of spacing in the area of the gathering to demonstrate appropriate spacing for social distancing;
- Limit provided seating to single individuals, spaced six feet apart, and sanitized after each use;
- Prohibit sharing of any physical items provided and require sanitization before and after each use; and
- Require contactless pay options wherever feasible.
Nothing in the Order shall prevent professional athletes from fulfilling their job duties, consistent with paragraph 10 of Executive Order No. 107 (2020).
Charter Boats and Recreational Businesses: The Order rescinds the 10-person capacity limit on charter boats and recreational businesses opened under Executive Order No. 147, including archery ranges, batting cages, golf driving ranges, horseback riding, tennis clubs, and shooting ranges, and imposes a new 25-person capacity limitation with a requirement that individuals can remain six feet apart at all times.
Parks, Beaches, Boardwalks, and Lakeshores: The Order allows gatherings of no more than 25 people at State Parks and Forests, county and municipal parks, public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lakeshores, but continues to prohibit special events such as festivals, concerts, fireworks, and movies.
Recreational Campgrounds: The Order permits private and public recreational campgrounds to reopen to the public. The following shall remain closed at recreational campgrounds: picnic areas; playgrounds; pavilions; and other buildings amenities, or facilities, except restrooms and showers. Recreational campgrounds that are open to the public must comply with the same restrictions required for recreational businesses. The Department of Environmental Protection is required to prepare a phased-in reopening plan for all campgrounds located on State Parks and Forests within fifteen days.The Order also recommends, but does not order, that people wear a face covering while at outdoor gatherings and recreational campgrounds when social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy wraps up his Friday, May 22, 2020, press conference at War Memorial in Trenton, NJ, on the State’s response to the coronavirus.