Torrance Declares Local Emergency and Enacts Curfew Beginning at Midnight
TORRANCE, Calif., May 30, 2020- Due to civil unrest in adjacent cities in Los Angeles County, and planned protests in Torrance and the greater South Bay, City Manager LeRoy J. Jackson, acting as the Director of Emergency Services declares the existence of a local emergency in the City of Torrance. In addition, to ensure the safety of citizens, visitors, and law enforcement personnel, the City of Torrance is imposing an overnight curfew from Sunday, May 31st at 12 a.m. Except for May 31, the curfew will be in effect every day between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. during the state of local emergency.

The curfew declares that no person shall be upon the public street, avenue, alley, park, way, or other public place or unimproved public realty within the City of Torrance. This curfew shall not apply to:

• Police officers, peace officers, firefighters, the National Guard or other military personnel, or other emergency personnel,
• Authorized representatives of any news service, newspaper, or radio or television station or network.
• People going directly to and from their place of employment.
• Essential workers

The Torrance Police Department has deployed extra staffing throughout the City and will be highly visible while enforcing the curfew. Any person not abiding by this declaration is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to punishment in accordance with Torrance Municipal Code section 16.2.13 or Government Code section 8665.

Proclamation of the State of Local Emergency

Curfew Order

PUBLIC ORDER NO. 2020-10 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TORRANCE CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTION 3 (PUBLIC AND CLOSED HEARINGS) OF PUBLIC ORDER NO. 2020-4 THAT SUSPENDED TIMELINES IN SECTIONS 11.5.3 AND 11.5.4 OF THE TORRANCE MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO HEARINGS ON APPEALS, SUSPENDING TIMELINES IN SECTIONS 92.41.090, 92.41.100, 92.41.110, AND 92.41.120 RELATING TO VIEW EQUITY, AND SUSPENDING ALL PUBLIC HEARINGS DURING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY RELATED TO COVID-19 

WHEREAS, the City Manager issued Public Order No. 2020-4 on March 24, 2020, relating to hearings on appeals, suspending timelines in Sections 92.41.090, 92.41.100, 92.41.110, and 92.41.120 relating to view equity, and suspending all public hearings during the state of emergency related to COVID-19, and 

WHEREAS, the City Council ratified Public Order No. 2020-4 on April 7, 2020 in Resolution No. 2020-21; and 

WHEREAS, the City of Torrance would like to proceed with Public and Closed 
Hearings before the City Council, Planning Commission, and Civil Service Commission. 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 

Section 1. Section 3 (Public and Closed Hearings) of Public Order 2020-4 is amended to read as follows:
 
"3. Public and Closed Hearings may proceed before the City Council, Planning Commission, and Civil Service Commission. The Planning Commission and Civil Service Commission may also consider other items within their subject matter jurisdiction. The Claims Review Board, the Investment Advisory Committee, and the Deferred Compensation Committee that have previously been authorized by the City Manager may also have meetings. All other City Commissions, City Boards, or City Committees are suspended during the State of Emergency." 

Section 2. Sections 1 (Suspending Timelines on Appeals) and 2 (Suspending Timelines for View Equity Claims) of Public Order No. 2020-4 remain in effect. 
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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED this Order shall apply Citywide until rescinded by the City Council or the City Manager. 

TORRANCE, Calif., May 27, 2020- At the Special Torrance City Council Meeting of May 26, City Officials discussed actions to be taken in response to the Los Angeles County and State of California Orders regarding COVID-19. As the City plans for recovery and the gradual phasing out of the orders, Torrance has taken steps to support local businesses and work diligently with the State of California and County of Los Angeles to safely allow them to reopen as soon as possible.

As a result of City Council making direct contact with local leaders, certain orders were lifted allowing more businesses to reopen at 50% capacity and places of worship to commence with certain safeguards including 25% of attendees and 100 person capacity.  The Council will also continue to encourage the State of California and County of Los Angeles to allow in-person dining as well as reopening personal services such as hair salons, barbers, and nail salons as soon as possible. 

In addition, the May 26, Item 4A motion that passed included thanking the Governor for releasing new guidelines on opening up retail and places of worship and thanking the Health Officer of Los Angeles County for releasing their updated Safer at Home Order this evening.  The Council will continue to receive COVID-19 recovery related updates and may consider other options for responding to State and County order at the June 2 meeting.

As part of their efforts, at the May 19 City Council Meeting, Mayor and Council committed to contacting the California Governor and County Supervisors to encourage opportunities for areas like Torrance, that were prepared to re-open certain businesses and activities.  They also passed a motion to allow the City’s Office of Economic Development to cover filing costs associated with proposals for expanded exterior arrangements.  This assistance will grant temporary permits for approved outdoor dining and curbside pick-up plans at no cost to business owners, which would allow them to comply with regulations associated with Safer at Home Orders. In addition, the City’s Permit Center will reopen tomorrow, May 28 with special safeguards in place including:

• Floor decal designs intended to maintain internal social distancing once in the permit center
• Protective sneeze guards at workstations
• Reduced occupancy
• Check- in system for customers to seek service using a QR Code without entering the building, so that they can easily wait in their vehicle until their turn 
• Hand sanitizing stations
• A contactless check-in station at the entry as a third option at the triage desk, for those not using QR Code Check-in and
• ·A focused entry and internal circulation design to allow one-way in and a dedicated exit in order to minimize potential transmission amongst the customers
  

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For more information about Torrance’s COVID-19 efforts and latest Safer at Home Orders issued by LA County visit www.TorranceCA.Gov/COVID19.  
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. WHEREAS, the City Manager issued Public Order No. 2020-2 on March 18, 2020, that prohibited street fairs, block parties, parades, community runs and cycling events, closing swap meets and all Del Amo Fashion Center stores that are solely accessed from within the internal corridors of the mall, with the exception of certain food and beverage vendors and/or facilities, and 
WHEREAS, the City Council ratified Public Order No. 2020-2 on April 7, 2020 in Resolution No. 2020-19; and 
WHEREAS, on May 26, 2020, the County of Los Angeles Health Officer issued a new Safer At Home Order entitled "REOPENING SAFER AT WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITY FOR CONTROL OF COVID-19 MOVING THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES THROUGH STAGE 2 OF CALIFORNIA'S PANDEMIC RESILIENCE ROADMAP" that supersedes all prior Safer at Home Orders issued by the County of Los Angeles Health Officer; and 
WHEREAS, the County's May 26, 2020 Safer At Home Order allows, subject to physical distancing, cloth face coverings, and other safety protocols, the following changes: 
​• Faith-based organizations my resume services with the number of congregants limited to 25% of the total maximum occupancy or 100 people, whichever is lower;
• All retail may open, including those located in indoor and outdoor retail shopping centers at 50% capacity;
• Flea markets, swap meets, and drive-in movie theatres may resume operations;
• Pools, hot tubs and saunas in a multi-unit residence or part of a homeowners association may reopen.
WHEREAS, the City would like to support its businesses and faith-based organizations to resume operations consistent with the County's Safer At Home Order by modifying Public Order No. 2020-2. 
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NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Torrance resolves as follows: 
Section 1. Section 3 (Parades) is modified to read as follows: 
"3. All parades are prohibited, except for Vehicle-Based Parades that comply with Section 15U) of the County's Safer at Home Order. Vehicle-Based Parades must comply with all local and state laws as well as the County's Vehicle-Based Parade Protocol that is attached as Exhibit G to the County's Safer At Home Order." 
Section 2. Section 1 (Street Fairs), Section 5 (Swap Meets) and Section 6 (Del Amo Fashion Center) of Public Order No. 2020-2 are repealed. 
Section 3. Sections 2 (Block Parties) and 4 (Community Runs and Cycling Events) of Public Order No. 2020-2 remain in effect. 

Read original order Public Order No. 2020-2

TORRANCE, Calif., May 22, 2020- Oversized vehicle parking violation citations will commence on Saturday, May 30. Police Department staff will provide warnings to violators for a period of 1-week prior to May 30 effective date. The City of Torrance is asking the community to please plan accordingly.

During the April 7, 2020 City Council meeting, the suspension of oversized vehicle parking enforcement was approved based on the local emergency declaration (Item 9D).  As defined in Ordinance No. 3686, an oversized vehicle is a vehicle, or combination of vehicles that exceeds twenty feet in length, seven feet in width, or eight feet in height.  Oversized Vehicles do not include pick-up trucks or SUV's which are less than twenty-five feet in length and eighty-two inches in height. For a full list of equipment or vehicles that qualify as "Oversized Vehicle" can be found on the City’s official website. This ordinance also applies to all detached trailers or combination of vehicle and trailer. 

For more information please visit https://bit.ly/2AUDi8H.

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