a) REPORT 20-0484 ADOPTION OF AN URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, THAT REQUIRES
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS; AND
TO CONFIRM CITY MANAGER/DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY
SERVICES EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2020-09 REGARDING
SUSPENDING LOCAL ZONING REGULATIONS TO PERMIT
SPECIFIED BUSINESSES TO OPERATE OUTDOORS AND TO
PERMIT CERTAIN HOME OCCUPATIONS TO OPERATE
WITHOUT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS LOCATION
DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS
(City Attorney Michael Jenkins)
It is extremely disappointing to see a mask mandate with a $1000 fine posted on the agenda. It is also disappointing that the staff recommended grouping this with this item TO CONFIRM CITY MANAGER/DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2020-09 REGARDING SUSPENDING LOCAL ZONING REGULATIONS TO PERMIT SPECIFIED BUSINESSES TO OPERATE OUTDOORS AND TO PERMIT CERTAIN HOME OCCUPATIONS TO OPERATE WITHOUT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS LOCATION DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS" which truly have nothing to do with each other.
Please SEPARATE these 2 agenda items to they can be discussed on their own merit. Of course the council should support relaxing zoning regulations and helping businesses operate outside, this should not be grouped with any decision to MANDATE face masks.
As I'm sure you know our neighbors in MB have enacted this ordinance and it has been a complete disaster. How dare you in a time like this threaten residents with a fine so outrageous. Most people are being responsible, I have not ran into one person who has not had a mask on their person. However to require people on the beach, riding bikes and simply walking around socially distanced from each other to require masks all the time is way beyond necessary. Using masks while exercising could also cause a health risk and cause someone to lose their breath, pass out, etc. When this person loses consciousness because of your silly ordinance will you take it seriously then? The constant government overreach of this council during this time has been extremely sad to see.
It is also disappointing that you think that our already understaffed police department has nothing better to do that run around town looking for people walking on the beach without a mask. Our police officers have dedicated their lives to protecting us and to basically limit them to mask regulators now is completely off base.
To quote from The Beach Reporter on MB's "mask mandate". "Manhattan Beach is adding "common sense" language to it's new citywide mask requirement to avoid worst-case scenario ticketing as residents & some city council members say the rules are unclear"
"The silver lining over the weekend, Abell said, is the most people at least had face coverings with them, even if not being worn when seen by an officer". "Some residents expressed concern during public comment to have seen CSC staff not distancing, improperly wearing masks and handling residents & visitors used pens"
"Hadley was shocked, she said, to see the order required masks while playing singles tennis, on a walk with a member of one's household and in neighborhoods well beyond the city's commercial district. 'I understand we've made things simpler to enforce by making it so draconian', Hadley said, 'But I think we have gone overboard. I think the lack of common sense exemptions, she added, (like) 'for walking alone on a residential block when there's no one around, erodes respect for law enforcement."
I'm not going to quote the entire article but I think you understand the concept, people have common sense. The council does not need to further place restrictions on residents that will surely backfire. The state says masks are required when you can't maintain social distance. So why again is the council trying to place even stricter enforcement on our city? Whether it's police, which is ridiculous that you make these highly trained long tenured officers to be meter maids or whether you are paying additional enforcement officers around town, which is my understanding we can't afford with our deficit, what is the purpose?
Please learn from the mistakes of our neighbors, show respect for our community and stop treating us like children. We are certainly capable of following the rules & recommendations of the county/state without them being shoved down our throat with the threat of an extremely outrageous fine. Most people out of jobs right now. People can't afford food, rent, etc how on earth would they afford to pay this type of fine?
In closing please separate the mask wearing agenda item from the zoning regulations agenda item as again they have nothing to do with each other and remember that we are adults who live here and we are capable of following the rules.
I think a mask mandate may be needed, but suggest we see what happens between now and next week before making a decision to mandate masks. When we opened business up we certainly saw a rise in cases. I think people celebrated and forgot that virus is still with us.
However, now with rising cases, people have received a healthy dose of reality and have modified their behaviors. I think this shows in our declining infections and positivity rates over the last week.
Personally, I wear a mask almost every time I am outside. Half of the time this is not necessary because I am so isolated that it is not possible to spread the virus. I still make a choice to wear a mask at times when unnecessary because I am making a statement and trying to normalize wearing a mask. However, this is my choice, and I do not think it is right to make people wear masks at times when there is no benefit in doing so.
Lastly, if Council decided to move forward with the mask mandate, they should consider the regional differences within our city as it relates to potential to spread the virus. On that strand, it is hard to socially distance and many don’t where masks. On the beach, if socially isolated except with those in your household, there is no healthier place to be. So Council should consider the environment.
This is a terrible idea and would only create more division within the community and loss of trust in this council. Lets focus on the more important issues that face our community - the transformation of our Beach town into Venice south. The increase in homeless and influx of transients sleeping on and in private property. The "sharrows" which are undoubtedly becoming more and more dangerous for the vehicles and the children who cross our streets. It's time that we stay focused on the real issues and stop creating new ones that do not need our attention. Masks are a heated topic and frankly the lawsuits are piling up in cities that attempt this - MB for example has seen its community split and the response has been luke warm at best (a bike ride through the city shows that this attempt was not taken seriously by the community). Lets concentrate on the real problems and put forth real solutions to the long term issues. This temporary inconvenience will be gone soon enough yet the real issues need to be fixed. How are we addressing the Homeless? How are we address these dangerous bikers? How are we reopening the playgrounds for the kids, why are ours closed yet other cities are open? What is the plan for those action items?
I live and work in Hermosa.I’ve not worn a mask due to hearing and breathing impairments. I can’t understand what people are saying as I rely on reading lips. I can’t afford the irreparable lung damage. Now I have to tell people of my disability. Why should I be made to be embarrassed? I’m not near anyone except if I have to shop for food. Nobody I know is sick with even a cold. I’m not infected and have no fear of being infected. I make all my own food. How can you eat out if there is a pandemic? Unless all of the restaurant workers are able to prove the cleanliness and where abouts, you cant be sure. So how is this considered safe, but me walking alone with nobody near requires me to suffer physically and emotionally? My body my choice.
Mask covering on public walkways. Outdoor party’s, large gathers of 10 or more Mask requirements. fines implications. Educating or start fining the young adults who don’t comply with social distancing or wearing a mask
Dear Council,
It is extremely disappointing to see a mask mandate with a $1000 fine posted on the agenda. It is also disappointing that the staff recommended grouping this with this item TO CONFIRM CITY MANAGER/DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2020-09 REGARDING SUSPENDING LOCAL ZONING REGULATIONS TO PERMIT SPECIFIED BUSINESSES TO OPERATE OUTDOORS AND TO PERMIT CERTAIN HOME OCCUPATIONS TO OPERATE WITHOUT A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS LOCATION DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS" which truly have nothing to do with each other.
Please SEPARATE these 2 agenda items to they can be discussed on their own merit. Of course the council should support relaxing zoning regulations and helping businesses operate outside, this should not be grouped with any decision to MANDATE face masks.
As I'm sure you know our neighbors in MB have enacted this ordinance and it has been a complete disaster. How dare you in a time like this threaten residents with a fine so outrageous. Most people are being responsible, I have not ran into one person who has not had a mask on their person. However to require people on the beach, riding bikes and simply walking around socially distanced from each other to require masks all the time is way beyond necessary. Using masks while exercising could also cause a health risk and cause someone to lose their breath, pass out, etc. When this person loses consciousness because of your silly ordinance will you take it seriously then? The constant government overreach of this council during this time has been extremely sad to see.
It is also disappointing that you think that our already understaffed police department has nothing better to do that run around town looking for people walking on the beach without a mask. Our police officers have dedicated their lives to protecting us and to basically limit them to mask regulators now is completely off base.
To quote from The Beach Reporter on MB's "mask mandate". "Manhattan Beach is adding "common sense" language to it's new citywide mask requirement to avoid worst-case scenario ticketing as residents & some city council members say the rules are unclear"
"The silver lining over the weekend, Abell said, is the most people at least had face coverings with them, even if not being worn when seen by an officer". "Some residents expressed concern during public comment to have seen CSC staff not distancing, improperly wearing masks and handling residents & visitors used pens"
"Hadley was shocked, she said, to see the order required masks while playing singles tennis, on a walk with a member of one's household and in neighborhoods well beyond the city's commercial district. 'I understand we've made things simpler to enforce by making it so draconian', Hadley said, 'But I think we have gone overboard. I think the lack of common sense exemptions, she added, (like) 'for walking alone on a residential block when there's no one around, erodes respect for law enforcement."
I'm not going to quote the entire article but I think you understand the concept, people have common sense. The council does not need to further place restrictions on residents that will surely backfire. The state says masks are required when you can't maintain social distance. So why again is the council trying to place even stricter enforcement on our city? Whether it's police, which is ridiculous that you make these highly trained long tenured officers to be meter maids or whether you are paying additional enforcement officers around town, which is my understanding we can't afford with our deficit, what is the purpose?
Please learn from the mistakes of our neighbors, show respect for our community and stop treating us like children. We are certainly capable of following the rules & recommendations of the county/state without them being shoved down our throat with the threat of an extremely outrageous fine. Most people out of jobs right now. People can't afford food, rent, etc how on earth would they afford to pay this type of fine?
In closing please separate the mask wearing agenda item from the zoning regulations agenda item as again they have nothing to do with each other and remember that we are adults who live here and we are capable of following the rules.
Thank you.
-Megg Sulzinger
I think a mask mandate may be needed, but suggest we see what happens between now and next week before making a decision to mandate masks. When we opened business up we certainly saw a rise in cases. I think people celebrated and forgot that virus is still with us.
However, now with rising cases, people have received a healthy dose of reality and have modified their behaviors. I think this shows in our declining infections and positivity rates over the last week.
Personally, I wear a mask almost every time I am outside. Half of the time this is not necessary because I am so isolated that it is not possible to spread the virus. I still make a choice to wear a mask at times when unnecessary because I am making a statement and trying to normalize wearing a mask. However, this is my choice, and I do not think it is right to make people wear masks at times when there is no benefit in doing so.
Lastly, if Council decided to move forward with the mask mandate, they should consider the regional differences within our city as it relates to potential to spread the virus. On that strand, it is hard to socially distance and many don’t where masks. On the beach, if socially isolated except with those in your household, there is no healthier place to be. So Council should consider the environment.
This is a terrible idea and would only create more division within the community and loss of trust in this council. Lets focus on the more important issues that face our community - the transformation of our Beach town into Venice south. The increase in homeless and influx of transients sleeping on and in private property. The "sharrows" which are undoubtedly becoming more and more dangerous for the vehicles and the children who cross our streets. It's time that we stay focused on the real issues and stop creating new ones that do not need our attention. Masks are a heated topic and frankly the lawsuits are piling up in cities that attempt this - MB for example has seen its community split and the response has been luke warm at best (a bike ride through the city shows that this attempt was not taken seriously by the community). Lets concentrate on the real problems and put forth real solutions to the long term issues. This temporary inconvenience will be gone soon enough yet the real issues need to be fixed. How are we addressing the Homeless? How are we address these dangerous bikers? How are we reopening the playgrounds for the kids, why are ours closed yet other cities are open? What is the plan for those action items?
I live and work in Hermosa.I’ve not worn a mask due to hearing and breathing impairments. I can’t understand what people are saying as I rely on reading lips. I can’t afford the irreparable lung damage. Now I have to tell people of my disability. Why should I be made to be embarrassed? I’m not near anyone except if I have to shop for food. Nobody I know is sick with even a cold. I’m not infected and have no fear of being infected. I make all my own food. How can you eat out if there is a pandemic? Unless all of the restaurant workers are able to prove the cleanliness and where abouts, you cant be sure. So how is this considered safe, but me walking alone with nobody near requires me to suffer physically and emotionally? My body my choice.
Mask covering on public walkways. Outdoor party’s, large gathers of 10 or more Mask requirements. fines implications. Educating or start fining the young adults who don’t comply with social distancing or wearing a mask