Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, in an email Thursday, May 14, addressed “some misinformation and questions,” the city received.
He said Long Beach has reopened all retail and storefront business it’s allowed under State Law and many folks want the City to open restaurants and barber shops. He said the City can’t because “(i)t’s not allowed under State Law. Once the Governor announces the next stage of openings – only then can we look at health indicators and begin reopening.”
He said while the City has its own Health Department, “(T)he State Health Orders supersede our city and any county orders…. (W)e can’t move faster than the State allows.”
He acknowledged the State has an expedited track to reopen restaurants more quickly and pointed out, “(T)he Governor set it up for rural counties with few to no deaths and cases. Long Beach does not qualify” nor does “LA” does and nor does “Orange County.”
He added, “So instead, we use the baseline State Health Order as guidance. The Order allows for retail curbside pick up (sic) and some recreation.”
He also said, “Long Beach is currently in Stage Two. We can go no further on retail or restaurants until…the State modifies it’s (sic) Health Order and…our health indicators remain flat with no large spikes” and added, “Reopening decisions within a Stage are made with the recommendations of doctors and health officials. Our local officials talk daily with LA County, California, and CDC experts and scientists.”
Long Beach to Resume Street Sweeping with Parking Enforcement, Citations
Meanwhile, the City of Long Beach, in a press release of Wednesday, May 13, announced street sweeping-related parking enforcement, after nine weeks of amnesty for street sweeping citations, will resume on Monday, May 18.
While over the past two months street sweeping has continued in areas it could, in many neighborhoods, the lack of street sweeping access has led to an accumulation of sediment and debris jeopardizing the City’s ability to meet national standards for clean waterways.
Street sweeping is a critical health service, collecting thousands of tons of debris each year and eliminating pollutants from washing into the ocean or river. Streets can only be swept effectively when cars are out of the sweeper’s path.
Since May 4, Department of Public Works employees have placed reminders in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog on vehicles that haven’t been moved during street sweeping. The reminders advised residents available parking resources across the City and to let people know enforcement would resume on May 18.
The parking amnesty was put in place as an economic relief plan for residents during the COVID-19 health emergency. As part of continuing efforts to address parking impacts caused by COVID-19, the City of Long Beach made over 4,000 parking spaces available. These spaces are citywide. A full list of parking options is available http://longbeach.gov/parking/covid-19-street-parking-relief/.
Resident parking, by permit, will continue until further notice.
Residents may call 562.570.INFO with questions.
For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep its residents safe, visit http://www.longbeach.gov/COVID19.
Barry Saks 
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