Update from the Mayor

August 7, 2020

A full playlist of videos related to COVID-19 can be found on the City of Santa Clarita’s YouTube page.

Read the latest Health Order from the LA County Department of Public Health (9/2)

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS ANNOUNCES SPRING 2021 REMOTE INSTRUCTION PLAN (9/14)

College of the Canyons will continue with distance education through the end of the Spring 2021 semester, Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook announced in a message to the campus community.



The decision was made after careful evaluation of guidance and analysis provided by county and state health authorities, as well as ongoing dialogue with faculty, staff and administrators about campus safety.

Read the full news release on the College of the Canyons website.

LA COUNTY ALLOWS MODIFIED INDOOR REOPENING OF BARBERSHOPS, HAIR SALONS AND SOME SCHOOL SERVICES (9/2)

Beginning Wednesday, September 2, hair salons and barbershops will be allowed to resume indoor operations throughout Los Angeles County with modifications in place. These establishments will be restricted to 25% occupancy for indoor operations, though those also offering outdoor services may continue to do so. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has posted protocols on its website for resuming indoor operations that business owners must follow.

Additionally, beginning Monday, September 14, K-12 schools may offer in-school services for a small cohort of students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), students requiring instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) or students needing assessments or specialized in-school services, as long as the school is able to fully implement the County Health Officer’s reopening protocols. The County will not be opening the waiver program for the instruction of students in grades TK-6 at this time. To learn more about school services being offered in Santa Clarita, please contact your child’s school district office directly.

No other changes have been made to the County Health Officer’s order.

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES NEW COUNTY TIERS (8/28)

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new tier system for counties regarding coronavirus case rates and test positivity rates, replacing the previous “County Watchlist.” The new tier system groups counties into one of four tiers: Widespread (purple), Substantial (red), Moderate (orange) and Minimal (yellow).



The State will evaluate case rates and test positivity rates weekly, beginning September 8, and move counties into a more or less restrictive tier as necessary. Tiers are tied to a county’s ability to reopen various sectors and activities, including in-person dining, personal grooming services and entertainment venues.

Counties must remain in their current tier (as set on August 28) for a minimum of 21 days before the state will consider moving a county to a new tier. In order to move to a lower tier, a county must meet the new tier’s metrics for two consecutive weeks.

As of August 28, Los Angeles County is in the Widespread/purple tier.

To learn more about the new tier system, please visit the State of California’s coronavirus Safer Economy website.

STATE RELEASES GUIDANCE ON YOUTH SPORTS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAIVERS (8/4)

The California Department of Public Health today released guidance on youth sports and detailed the process for elementary schools to request a waiver to resume in-person instruction in counties on the state monitoring list, including Los Angeles County.

Youth Sports must comply with cohorting and physical distancing requirements, with an emphasis on physical conditioning and skill-building. Read the guidance on Youth Sports.



School officials may apply for waivers to open grades TK-6 for in-person instruction, only if they can guarantee small cohorted instruction, receive sign-off from the local Health Officer, and consult with members of the school community. Learn more about the elementary school waiver process.



INDOOR OPERATIONS ORDERED CLOSED BY STATE (7/13)

Effective July 13, 2020, the State Public Health Officer has ordered that ALL counties must close indoor operations in these sectors:

Dine-in restaurants

Wineries and tasting rooms

Movie theaters

Family entertainment centers (for example: bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages and arcades)

Zoos and museums

Cardrooms

Additionally, bars, brewpubs, breweries, and pubs must close all operations both indoor and outdoor statewide.

Counties that have remained on the County Monitoring List for 3 consecutive days – including Los Angeles County – will be required to shut down the following industries unless they can be modified to operate outside or by pick-up. The following must adjust operations in Santa Clarita effective immediately:

Fitness centers

Worship services

Protests

Offices for non-essential sectors

Personal care services, like nail salons, body waxing and tattoo parlors

Hair salons and barbershops

Malls

Monday, June 29, 2020 Marks the Single Largest One-Day Case Count Since Pandemic Began

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) continues to see alarming trends of community spread. On June 29, the department announced 2,903 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the single largest one-day case count since the pandemic began. Key metrics continue to show steep increases in community spread. The 7-day average of daily reported new cases of COVID-19 is nearly 2,000, an increase from the 1,379 average two weeks ago. There are 1,710 people currently hospitalized, higher than the 1,350 to 1,450 daily hospitalizations seen in recent weeks. Everyone must continue to follow physical distancing and infection control directives and wear a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when in contact with other people not in your household.

A significant factor in getting the City of Santa Clarita back to normal after the effects of COVID-19 is the support and success of our local businesses. With your business now being safely reopened, help build community confidence by taking our Santa Clarita Safer Business Commitment.

CALIFORNIA ORDERS CLOSURES OF BARS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY (6/28)



Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the immediate closure of all bars, breweries, brew pubs, pubs, wineries and tasting rooms in Los Angeles County as of Sunday, June 28, 2020. For more information, please read a press release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. A previous post is below.

Still closed as of Monday, June 29, 2020:

Lounges and nightclubs

Bars, breweries, tasting rooms, craft distilleries and wineries

Public entertainment venues: movie theaters, live performance theaters, concert venues, theme parks and festivals

Family entertainment centers: bowling alleys, arcades, mini golf and batting cages

Indoor and outdoor playgrounds for children (except those located within a school or childcare center)

Hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas not located on a residential property

All events and gatherings

Please read the updated Health Officer Order (6/28) for more information.

BARS, TATTOO SHOPS, NAIL SALONS AND MORE TO REOPEN BEGINNING JUNE 19



The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a revised Health Officer Order on June 18. The following businesses are able to begin the reopening process beginning Friday, June 19, and must implement required protocols:

Cardrooms, satellite wagering facilities, and racetrack onsite wagering facilities

Personal care establishments, including nail salons, tattoo parlors, esthetician services, and skincare and cosmetology services

Bars, as well as Winery and Brewery tasting rooms

Updated information in the new health order is highlighted in yellow. Read the revised Health Officer Order.

LA COUNTY ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL REOPENING MEASURES

*UPDATE* The Department of Public Health has posted the revised Health Officer Order for June 11, which includes information and protocols for businesses reopening June 12.

Original Post (June 10)

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on Wednesday, June 10 that the following business types are able to reopen throughout the County beginning Friday, June 12:

Gyms and Fitness Facilities

Pro League Arenas w/o Live Audiences

Day Camps

Museums, Galleries, Zoos and Aquariums

Campgrounds, RV Parks and Outdoor Recreation (including Swimming Pools)

Music, Film and TV Production

Hotels, Lodging and Short-Term Rentals for Leisure/Travel

These are the only new businesses permitted to reopen in LA County at this time. Businesses must implement protocols required under the Health Officer Order for infectious disease control and physical distancing BEFORE they can reopen. The revised Health Officer Order – including reopening protocols and further definitions of businesses that fall into the above categories – will be posted by the LA County Department of Public Health on Thursday, June 11. For more information on the protocols for these businesses, please visit the Los Angeles County coronavirus website. Business owners will find protocols specific to their business type and the revised Health Officer Order by clicking “Reopening Protocols” and “Health Officer Order” on the left side of the DPH website.

BUSINESS REOPENING PROTOCOLS

The State of California has granted Los Angeles County permission to reopen restaurants for in-person dining, and resume services at barbershops and hair salons. This move comes after a request from the City of Santa Clarita to Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to allow for a variance to reopen businesses.

This move comes after a request from the City of Santa Clarita to Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to allow for a variance to reopen businesses. For information and protocols needed to reopen a business in Santa Clarita, please see the list of requirements from Los Angeles County on its coronavirus website.

City of Santa Clarita Amenities that are OPEN

City Hall

Santa Clarita Public Libraries for curbside pickup

City Dog Parks

Santa Clarita Skatepark

City Trails

City Parks (for walking and enjoying with members of your own household only)

City Park Restrooms

City-Owned Tennis Courts

County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health: Road Map to Recovery

The latest updates from Los Angeles County on what businesses and outdoor spaces are open.