UPDATE 3/31: TORRANCE STRENGTHENS RESPONSE TO COVID-19

3/16/2020

TORRANCE, Calif., March 16, 2020- The City of Torrance issued an emergency order to temporarily close bars and nightclubs that do not serve food, movie theaters and entertainment venues, bowling alleys and arcades, and gyms and fitness centers. Restaurants, bars and retail food facilities may not serve food for consumption on their premises but may continue to offer food for delivery, takeout or drive-thru.

This order will strengthen the City’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), by imposing a more active practice of social distancing. The restrictions will take effect in the City of Torrance beginning at 11:59 p.m. tonight and will remain in place through noon on March 31, 2020. They are subject to extension.

The following establishments within the City of Torrance will be temporarily closed to the public:

Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food;
Movie theaters and entertainment venues;
Bowling alleys and arcades; and
Gyms and fitness centers.

The following restrictions will also apply:

All restaurants will be prohibited from serving food to dine-in customers, but may continue to prepare and offer food via delivery service or take-out;
All breweries and tasting rooms will be prohibited from serving customers, but may continue in the sale of canned, bottled, and growler products to be consumed off of their premises.
Houses of worship are urged to limit large gatherings on their premises and to explore and implement ways to practice their respective faiths while observing social distancing practices.

The following establishments will continue to operate:

Grocery stores will continue to operate and there is no shortage of food or interruption in our food supply;
And cafeterias within hospitals, nursing homes, and similar facilities will continue operations.

The City also ordered a moratorium on evictions of residential and commercial tenants/occupant during this local emergency period if the tenant/occupant is able to show an inability to pay due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Torrance continues to confer with medical experts and follows the consulting guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to cooperatively and proactively slow the spread of COVID-19 while addressing any challenges that may arise due to any outbreak of this disease in the City.

Please sign up with Torrance Alerts to receive updates regarding COVID-19 from the City of Torrance at www.TorranceCA.gov/TorranceAlerts. Alerts regarding COVID-19 will be sent daily to provide updates. For the most up to date information visit www.CityofTorranceCA.com or follow us on social media @TorranceCA.

View Council Agenda & Staff Report
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Update 3/31 - A resolution of the City Council of the City of Torrance, California, ratifying and extending the public order (now referred to as public order no. 2020-1) closing all movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys, arcades, gyms and fitness centers, bars and nightclubs that do not serve food and prohibiting all restaurants from serving food for consumption on premises.