The Arlington County Board has voted to scrap a heavily criticized ordinance authorizing police to fine groups of four or more close-together people in busy areas of the county. The ordinance was established on an emergency basis in late July to enforce social distancing rules on designated sidewalks and went into effect in August.
In a 4-1 vote late Tuesday, the board decided to let the ordinance lapse Sept. 29. A variety of constituents told board members during an open meeting that the ordinance was too broad, could be enforced disproportionately against people of color, and would hurt businesses over the long term, ARLnow reports.
County Manager Mark Schwartz testified that police haven’t issued any fines under the ordinance, saying officials are instead aiming to inform people about the importance of maintaining at least six feet of distance from others to restrict the spread of COVID-19.
In a statement Wednesday, board member Christian Dorsey cited the lack of enforcement as a reason he opposed extending the ordinance.
“Arlington police have determined that it is impractical to cite hundreds of violators a night,” he said. “They have prioritized encouraging compliance and have not issued a single citation. I don’t see any reason to continue having something on the books that clearly doesn’t work.”
Board Chair Libby Garvey was the only member to support an extension and said in a statement Wednesday she believes the ordinance has encouraged people to remain socially distant in the vicinity of bars and restaurants.
The ordinance was implemented along popular sidewalks in Clarendon and Crystal City, where crowds have lined up outside eating and drinking establishments in recent months. The sites were selected based on data from the Arlington Restaurant Initiative and online complaints about social distancing violations.
“Clarendon has seen an influx of patrons 10 p.m.-2 a.m.,” county staff reported in a presentation to the board on Tuesday. “Efforts to spread out long lines of patrons by officers and restaurant security have been met with defiance, confrontation, and hostility.”
Tuesday’s decision marked a reversal for the board, which had unanimously approved the ordinance in a closed session. Under the ordinance, violators could be fined up to $100.
