WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
City Council Action:
Beaches Open for Active Use Only Weekdays from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Weekends from 6 a.m. to Noon
At its regular meeting Tuesday, May 12, the Laguna Beach City Council agreed to expand beach hours on a trial basis and open City beaches for active use only weekdays from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. and weekends from 6 a.m. to noon.
On Saturday and Sunday the City beaches and ocean water will close promptly at noon and Laguna Beach public safety staff will be present on beaches to enforce the closures.
Beachgoers are required to physical distance at least six (6) feet while on the beach. If physical distancing guidelines and active recreation requirements are not observed, the beaches will be closed or beach hours will be limited to gain compliance and protect the community.
Adjustments Made to Laguna Beach Summer Programs and City Services
At its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 12, the Laguna Beach City Council made the following adjustments to summer recreation, upcoming City events and program services in accordance with the Governor's phased reopening plan for the state of California:
- All Laguna Beach Trolley service is suspended through Labor Day;
- All Laguna Beach in-person summer recreation programs are canceled until after Labor Day;
- The Laguna Beach 4th of July fireworks display is canceled;
- Sunset Serenades and concerts in Bluebird Park are postponed until late summer or fall.
The 2020 Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts is Canceled.
Listen to Today's Podcast Update With Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen
In today's podcast update, Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen discusses the State's requirement the County of Orange meet certain criteria before moving further into Phase 2 reopening.
He also talks about the expanded beach openings, the status of the City pool and track, as well as summer program postponements and cancelations.
Essential Services Are Provided While Laguna Beach City Offices Remain Closed to the Public.
Questions?
Call (949) 497-3311 During Regular Business Hours.
Economic Recovery and Businesses Development Plan Moves Forward
At its regular meeting Tuesday, May 12, the Laguna Beach City Council voted to move an Economic Recovery and Business Development Plan forward to help offset the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Laguna Beach businesses.
City's Completed Components of the Economic Recovery and Business Plan:
1) Protect local businesses from being evicted for non-payment of rent and defer rent when needed due to COVID-19 financial impacts;
2) Defer payment of local hotel Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collected to the City to September or November 2020 based on the amount deferred;
3) Create a new Small Business Assistance webpage for local businesses, available HERE;
4) Promote local commerce through partnership with Laguna Beach Chamber and the "Think Laguna First" marketing campaign.
City Council Direction for Upcoming Components of the Economic Recovery and Business Plan:
1) Develop a conceptual pilot program for Summer 2020 to close Lower Forest Avenue to traffic to enable outdoor dining and entertainment areas to support local businesses;
2) Hire a consultant to do a parking structure feasibility study;
3) Pursue grant monies for the Recovery Plan and develop reopening guidelines for businesses consistent with the County and State;
4) Hire a business consultant to identify target businesses for all commercial areas of the City;
5) Establish a Cultural Arts Invigoration Task Force.
The City Council will receive a budget update on these upcoming components of the Economic Development and Recovery Plan at its May 26 meeting and at that time will also discuss modifications to current City business and parking regulations.
State Modifies Guidelines for Reopening Businesses
Following the direction set forth by Governor Gavin Newsom as the State Resilience Roadmap, some Laguna Beach businesses and delivery services reopened Friday, with additional modifications made by the Governor this week.
Under this first phase of Stage 2 of the reopening, these non-essential retail businesses are authorized to reopen for curbside pickup and/or deliveries only:
- Clothing & shoe stores
- Book stores, music stores & florists
- Jewelry stores
- Sporting goods & toy stores
- Home furnishing & antique stores
- Outdoor museums & botanical gardens
- Outdoor shopping malls and strip malls
- Office-based businesses unable to telecommute. See the full guidelines for offices here
- Restaurants can continue to provide curbside and pickup deliveries
To assist the businesses with this reopening, the City is providing curbside parking spaces where needed. Businesses that would like to request a curbside parking space, please click HERE.
The Governor's directive does not include the following businesses and services, which are expected to be part of the next phase of the Stage 2 reopenings:
- Dine-in restaurants, bars or gaming facilities
- Personal services, including hair salons, nail salons, massage parlors and tanning facilities
- Indoor shopping malls
- Schools and childcare facilities
All facilities must follow the State guidelines for reopening in order to prevent COVID-19 from continuing to spread, at the link below.
In order to reopen dine-in restaurants, all offices, indoor malls and other businesses in California's Phase 2 of reopening, counties must first prove to the State they meet a set of certain specific criteria.
New Laguna Beach Book Store Opens on S. Coast Highway
Sleepless in Laguna, a new romance bookstore and gift shop, has opened for curbside shopping at the corner of S. Coast Highway and Bluebird Canyon Drive.
Last Friday, when the State began allowing "low-risk" business to reopen for curbside service, Sleepless in Laguna opened outdoors, which included having curbside tables with books and gifts for people to browse.
The store has disposable gloves for those who want to 'thumb through a title." It is also selling books online at https://sleepless.love
Welcome to Sleepless in Laguna and all of our new Laguna Beach businesses!
Wildfire Season: Learn About Public Safety Power Shutoffs
When there is a high risk for a wildfire, Southern California Edison (SCE) may declare a 'Public Safety Power Shutoff' and temporarily shut off power to neighborhoods to prevent the electric system from becoming the source of an ignition.
Join Southern California Edison at an upcoming virtual community meeting on wildfire safety efforts, through the link below.
This newsletter is texted out directly to residents registered for Laguna Beach’s Nixle Community Alert system.
Know someone or a senior who needs to sign up? Simply have them text 92651 to 888-777.
To report non-emergency incidents, don't reply to the Nixle text. Call the Police Department's non-emergency number at (949) 497-0701.
The City of Laguna Beach is Committed to Bringing You COVID-19 Information
If You Have an Emergency,
Always Dial 9-1-1.
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