To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOE HOEFGEN, CITY MANAGER
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CITY’S LOCAL EMERGENCY PERTAINING TO COVID-19
RECEIVE AND FILE THE CITY’S CURRENT SUMMARY OF EMERGENCY ORDERS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION IF NEEDED
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides the City Council with an opportunity to discuss the status of the City’s Local Emergency pertaining to COVID-19 and to specifically review and give direction on the City’s current emergency orders. Attached is the list of orders, which were last confirmed by the City Council on August 4, 2020, to help facilitate the review and discussion.
In particular, staff recommends the City Council discuss resuming enforcement of street sweeping parking rules. The number of complaints regarding the cleanliness of neighborhood streets has increased in recent weeks and as the rainy season approaches, it is important that maintenance personnel have unfettered access to storm drains and street gutters in order to remove trash and debris that, if untreated, could empty into Santa Monica Bay or create flooding. Unless otherwise directed by City Council, it is staff’s intention later this month to modify our local emergency orders, start issuing written warnings on vehicles parked in violation of street sweeping rules for a three-week period, beginning August 24, 2020, and resume street sweeping parking enforcement on Monday, September 14, 2020.
BACKGROUND
As the Mayor and City Council are aware, on March 12, 2020 I declared a local emergency due to the imminent threat of COVID-19 in Redondo Beach and subsequently ordered a number of measures to help protect residents, visitors and City employees and to combat the spread of the virus in the community including: the closure of the City’s three Senior Centers; the cancellation or postponement of a number of citywide special events and activities at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center; the closure of the City’s Main Library, North Branch Library and Teen Center; the suspension of the City’s After School Care Program; the suspension of all City Advisory Commission Meetings; and the modification of core municipal services to enable proper social distancing.
On March 16, 2020, I issued a second proclamation, in conjunction with Los Angeles County Health Officer recommendations, ordering the closure of all restaurants, bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers in the City; issued a temporary moratorium on evictions due to the non-payment of rent or mortgage resulting from COVID-19 related financial distress; and prohibited the shutoff of any utilities due to late payment for 90 days. On March 17, 2020, the Mayor and City Council ratified the declaration of local emergency and confirmed all emergency orders implemented by the City as of that date.
On March 26, 2020, I issued an additional proclamation ordering the closure of a number of City spaces, parks and facilities. I later closed additional park ball fields and extended the effective date of several of the previous Orders. On March 31, 2020, the City Council confirmed all of the emergency orders executed as of that date.
On April 7, 2020, the City Council received a report on the status of the Local Emergency pertaining to COVID-19 and on April 9, 2020, the first meeting of the Redondo Beach Disaster Council was held. All members of the Disaster Council participated. Several topics were discussed including a referral from City Council regarding whether City emergency orders should focus on a safer at home message or a stay at home message. The three medical professionals on the Disaster Council expressed a preference for the City of Redondo Beach continue promoting the Countywide safer at home message. Following the meeting, I issued another Emergency Order requiring workers and visitors of certain businesses and services to wear face coverings. Los Angeles County issued a similar order the next day. Additionally, the list of emergency orders was updated to extend many of the effective dates of the City’s previous emergency actions.
On April 21, 2020 the City Council had an opportunity to discuss the emergency actions implemented as of that date and confirmed the orders of the City Manager acting as the Director of Emergency Services with two modifications: 1) allowing the May meetings of the Budget and Finance and Harbor Commissions to proceed for budget review purposes and 2) allowing for the re-opening of the Farmers Market in Riviera Village as soon as a plan could be implemented to meet Los Angeles County Farmers Market requirements. Additionally, the Council received a presentation and provided feedback on the draft COVID-19 Strategic Recovery Plan prepared by the Beach Cities Health District. Members of the City’s Disaster Council also had the opportunity to discuss and comment on the Plan, when they met for the second time on April 23, 2020.
On May 5, 2020 the City Council received a status report on the Local Emergency and a draft beach reopening plan prepared by the Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors Department signaling the County’s intention to re-open the beach for exercise purposes and to allow ocean water access for swimming and other water activities on or before May 15, 2020. At the May 5 meeting, the Council gave direction regarding modifications to City Emergency Orders in anticipation of changes the State and County were likely to make to their Stay at Home and Safer at Home Orders in order to allow for a phased reopening of businesses and public activities with proper social distancing requirements.
On May 7, 2020, I issued a new Emergency Order that immediately reopened the Harbor Drive Bike Path and the North Redondo Beach Bike Path, and set reopening dates, in accordance with anticipated revisions to Countywide Public Health Orders, for the Dominguez Park Dog Park (May 9, 2020), the Boat Hoist (May 15), the Personal Watercraft Hand Launch (May 15), Park Tennis Courts (concurrent with LA County tennis facility reopening), and Beach Access Points (concurrent with LA County beach re-opening for exercise, which occurred on May 13, 2020). The May 7 Order also extended a number of prior City emergency orders due to COVID-19’s continued impact on the community and rescinded certain City orders that were superseded by State Order or had been replaced by more prescriptive County Orders.
On May 12, 2020 the City Council considered the various City Orders and confirmed them with a few modifications. The modifications included an immediate opening of Czulegar Park and the sidewalks on the west side of the Esplanade and Harbor Drive, and the scheduling of a May 26 reopening of the parking spots along the Esplanade and in the lot adjacent to Miramar Park in Torrance. The Council also gave direction to help local restaurants better understand County and State protocols for future opening and to work on reopening the City’s Farmers Market.
On May 19, 2020 the City Council received a status report on the City’s local emergency and gave direction to continue to work with local businesses to assist them in understanding the various Health Order restrictions and to evaluate the potential closure of Catalina Ave. for expanded outdoor dining purposes.
On May 27, 2020 the Redondo Beach Disaster Council held its third meeting and members were supportive of further lifting City restrictions in concert with upcoming State and County actions. On May 29, 2020, the City Manager issued an Emergency Order, and on June 3, 2020 the City Council confirmed the Order, which rescinded certain prior orders and connected the reopening of several City facilities, such as City park sports fields, basketball courts, and playgrounds, to the County’s reopening of their facilities.
In June, the State of California and the County of Los Angeles experienced a resurgence in the number of COVID-19 cases and an increase in related hospitalizations. Due to the change in these critical metrics, the State and County rolled-back their reopening plans and reinstated public health restrictions, including the temporary closure of beaches during the July 4th Holiday weekend.
In order to avoid Redondo Beach becoming an overflow destination as a result of the State and County holiday closures and to reduce community spread of COVID-19, I issued additional local emergency orders on June 30, 2020 that closed Veteran’s Park and the adjacent Parking Lots, Parking along the west side of the Esplanade, the Parking Lot adjacent to Miramar Park in Torrance, George Freeth Way, and the Redondo Bike Path Parkette Parking Lot for the period July 3 through 6. Additionally, the orders extended the closure of certain City Facilities including the Performing Arts Center, Senior Centers, Teen Center, and all Public Counters at City Hall and Department Offices until further notice. The closure of City Libraries was also extended however, it should be noted, that on July 1st the Library Department began the “Takeout” program, which allows patrons to pick up materials that have been placed on hold via telephone or through the online reservation system. The City Council confirmed the orders on July 7, 2020.
On July 13, 2020 the State issued a follow-up closure of bars, malls, and indoor dining, salons, and gyms. There were no changes to the City’s emergency orders between July 7, 2020 and July 30, 2020, as most of the remaining City orders were indexed to County and State action. On July 15, 2020, the Redondo Beach Disaster Council held its fourth meeting. Doctors on the call stated that while COVID-19 cases had risen at a sharp rate since the end of May, the ICU capacity and the available number of ventilators in the region had remained fairly steady.
At the City Council meeting of July 21, 2020, the City Council directed staff to prepare a resolution encouraging people to wear face coverings when in public. The resolution was discussed and approved by the City Council at the August 4, 2020 meeting.
Additionally, on August 4, 2020, the City Council confirmed the Emergency Order I issued on July 30, 2020 that extended the closure of the City’s libraries, recreation and afterschool programs and cancelled citywide special events until further notice. As part of the confirmation the City Council also authorized the waiving of City application fees for Encroachment Permits needed for the temporary installation of sidewalk dining services during the COVID-19 Local Emergency Period and waived permit fees for Redondo Beach based businesses using City parks for outdoor fitness, health and wellness activities. The City Council previously, in June, waived City application fees for Temporary Use Permits needed for outdoor business activities on private commercial property.
Catalina Avenue Partial Street Closure for Outdoor Dining Use
Staff continue to work with members of the Riviera Village Association (RVA) to increase the number of businesses participating in the expanded outdoor shopping, dining and beverage service opportunities provided by the “Outdoor Dining & Sidewalk Sale during COVID-19” special event permit issued to the RVA on June 30, 2020. The permit is effective for the period July 1, 2020 through September 7, 2020, and is likely to be extended into October, and perhaps later into the winter months if engineering solutions can be developed that address stormwater runoff concerns.
Street Sweeping Parking Enforcement
Early in the COVID-19 Emergency Period, action was taken to suspend the enforcement of street sweeping parking regulations as a means to help accommodate increased parking demand resulting from the “Safer at Home” Health Order. In recent weeks, the Public Works Department has received several complaints about the cleanliness of neighborhood streets and is increasingly concerned about the time available to clean storm drains and street gutter areas in advance of the winter rainy season. Many cities, including Torrance, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, have resumed the enforcement of their parking regulations for street sweeping purposes due to the same concerns. Unless otherwise directed by the City Council, it is staff’s intention to modify the local emergency orders later this month, start issuing written warnings on vehicles parked in violation of street sweeping rules for a three-week period, beginning August 24, 2020, and resume street sweeping parking enforcement on Monday, September 14, 2020.
As of August 12, 2020, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department identified 214,197 cases of COVID-19 in the County (476 in Redondo Beach) and 5,109 deaths (9 in Redondo Beach).
APPROVED BY:
Joe Hoefgen, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1) Summary List of Emergency Orders Pertaining to COVID-19 as of August 13, 2020
2) LA County Health Department COVID-19 August 12, 2020 News Release with Local Statistics