City of Panama City declares local State of Emergency

Panama City, Florida – To follow the lead of Governor Ron DeSantis and the Bay County Board of County Commissioners, the City Commission declared a State of Emergency for the City of Panama City on March 18, 2020. The declaration will allow the City to seek reimbursement from FEMA for potential expenses related to COVID-19.

City Hall, located at 501 Harrison Avenue, is open and all services are available; however, in an effort to protect the health of citizens and city team members, City Officials encourage residents to use means other than face-to-face interactions. Departments and services not listed here are generally considered to be operating as normal. For more city contact information, please visit the Staff Directory at https://www.pcgov.org/directory.aspx.

Utility Billing

Walk-in customers are discouraged until further notice.
Citizens may pay their utility bills either:
- Online at the City’s website: https://www.pcgov.org/358/Online-Payments
- Drop-box at the U.S. Post Office in Downtown Panama City
- Mail-in
- Call in to (850) 872-3000
Customers may also establish new, transfer or cancel Commercial or Residential Utility Services online at https://www.pcgov.org/605/Online-Utility-Service-Application.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding a utility bill, please call (850) 872-3000.

Code Enforcement

Code Enforcement hearings are suspended through at least April 15, 2020.
Cases that were scheduled to be heard on March 26, 2020 will receive a notice via certified mail of the next Code Enforcement hearing.

Community Development (including Community Redevelopment Agency)

Citizens are encouraged to call (850) 872-7230 or email Community Development Director Michael Johnson at mjohnson@pcgov.org for assistance.

Development Services

Walk-in customers are discouraged until further notice.
Application forms for Development Orders are available at https://www.pcgov.org/480/Application-Forms and may be submitted electronically at plus@pcgov.org.

Fire Department

Firefighters are responding to calls as normal.
If you or someone you know needs emergency assistance and are experiencing symptoms of COVID-10, please notify dispatchers when you make the 911 call so that police officers and firefighters can take the necessary precautions.

License

Walk-in customers are discouraged until further notice.
Application forms for Business Licenses are available at https://www.pcgov.org/184/License and may be submitted electronically at license@pcgov.org.
Merchant License Fees may be paid on the City’s website at https://www.pcgov.org/358/Online-Payments.
If you have questions regarding the licensing process, please call the License Department at (850) 872-3033.

Police Department

Police officers are responding to calls as normal.
Fingerprinting services at the Panama City Police Department are suspended through at least April 15, 2020.
Citizens may file non-emergency police reports online at: https://www.panamacitypolice.org/.

Solid Waste

Regularly scheduled collection services are operating normally.

Panama City Suspends Publicly-Permitted Events, Sports and Arts Programming

The City of Panama City is suspending all publicly-permitted events, facility reservations, and sports and arts programming through at least April 15, 2020 in an abundance of caution.

The action is being taken in response to a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

The outdoor areas of the City’s parks are currently open; however, the City encourages citizens to practice social distancing and reduce gatherings to no more than ten people.

The City is currently aligning its decisions with the closures of Florida’s public schools. City of Panama City officials will reassess the situation in April and determine whether to continue or lift the cancellations.

The City will work with event organizers to reschedule permitted-events already approved by the City Commission as needed at no additional cost.

This only applies to events that are permitted through the City of Panama City. Private event organizers are encouraged to use their discretion and follow the directions of officials from the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine if event cancellations are necessary.

Residents are encouraged to use their discretion when it comes to attending public events or parks.

As a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a face mask.
CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).