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ORDINAL N2020 -59 AN ORDINANCE CONFIRMING AND CONTINUING ORDINANCE 2020 -21 ADOPTED ON APRIL 14, 2020 AND THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC. WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020 Governor Northam declared pursuant to Section 44- 146.7 of the Virginia Code that a state of emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia due to the necessity to respond to the potential spread of COVID -19 (the "State Declaration "); and WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020 Dr. L. Pettis Patton, in her capacity as Director of Emergency Management for the City pursuant to Article XIII of Chapter 2 of the Code of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, _issued a Declaration of Local Emergency Due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID -19) Impacting Portsmouth, Virginia" (as extended on March 23, 2020, the "Director Declaration "), and WHEREAS, on April 14, 2020 City Council adopted Ordinance 2020 -21, which affirmed and modified the Local Declaration and established certain requirements and conditions for the holding of public meetings during the emergency period (the `'Emergency Ordinance "); and WHEREAS, the Director Declaration as affirmed and modified by the Emergency Ordinance is referred to as the "Local Declaration "; and WHEREAS, City Council is required review the status of the Local Declaration every 90 days and take formal action to modify, continue or cancel the Local Declaration; and WHEREAS, the State Declaration has remained in effect and Governor Northam has continued to issue Executive Orders implementing the response to the pandemic; and WHEREAS, the concerns underlying the Local Declaration, including maintaining social distancing and taking other measures to limit the spread of COVID -19, remain applicable; and WHEREAS, based on the current status of the spread of COVID -19, the continued limitations on access to public buildings, and the inherent difficulties in practicing social distancing given the location and configuration of the City's regular public meeting facilities, it is not advisable to modify or cancel the Local Declaration at this time; and WHEREAS, the City has commenced planning to allow for the conduct of public meetings with a quorum physically present and a limited public presence in compliance with social distancing guidelines, and City Council will consider in July whether to modify the Local Declaration for this purpose.