City of Palmdale Announces Changes to Operations Due to Coronavirus, City Hall to Be Open By Appoint
PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale has announced the closure of several City facilities until further notice in response to the new recommendations regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since declaring a state of emergency on March 11, the City has been closely following and reinforcing the recommendations and directives of the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To maintain the new requirements for social distancing and limiting the number of individuals recommended to gather in closed locations, the following City of Palmdale facilities will be closed as Tuesday, March 17 and all programming and classes suspended: Palmdale Playhouse, Palmdale City Library, Chimbole Cultural Center, Palmdale Amphitheater, Marie Kerr Park Recreation Center, Palmdale Oasis Recreation Center, Desert Sands Activity Building, all City pools (Marie Kerr, Palmdale Oasis, and McAdam), Domenic Massari Community Building, Best of the West Best of the West Softball Complex, and Joe Davies Heritage Airpark. All park programming at Marie Kerr Park, Yellen Dog Park, and Domenic Massari Parks is cancelled until further notice.
The City will be automatically refunding all rental reservations between March 16 and 31, prorating program refunds for services partially received, and refunding admission ticket fees for cancelled shows during that time. Customers who did not use their tickets for the performance of Mary Poppins last weekend may request a refund by emailing parksrec@cityofpalmdale.org.
Legacy Commons for Active Seniors will be closed but will offer boxed lunches at 11 am. South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES) will be closed except for food pick up from 1 to 4 pm. Clients Choice is suspended; prepackaged food boxes will be provided via a drive through service. SAVES will provide one food box per week to each family.
As of Tuesday, March 17, Palmdale City Hall will remain open by appointment only until further notice. Individuals are advised to contact 661/267-5100 or email info@cityofpalmdale.org to schedule an appointment. The following departments will be taking appointments:
· Public Works
· Maintenance
· Building & Safety
· Business License
· Planning
· Purchasing
· Neighborhood Services
· Parks & Recreation
· City Clerk
· Human Resources:
· City Manager
· City Attorney
· Community Programs
· Finance
During this time the City will waive all penalties and late charges for violations such as overdue parking tickets, Library fines, and expired business licenses.
“We continue to monitor the coronavirus situation daily to implement mitigation procedures and policies to ensure the health and safety of our residents,” said Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer. “We will also continue to follow the guidelines set forth by the experts at the CDC and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in an collaborative effort to minimize the spread of the virus.”
On Monday, March 16, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced that all bars, clubs, theaters, entertainment centers, and fitness centers are to be closed until further notice. Restaurants will be permitted to serve take out or delivery food only and grocery stores may remain open.
“As we enter a new phase in this crisis, the City is adhering to the best practices as recommended by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the State of California, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” said Palmdale City Manager J.J. Murphy. “The situation changes daily and we are taking proactive steps to be prepared for those changes. As the situation develops we will reassess our action plan with the well-being of our residents and employees first and foremost in our minds.”
Under these new guidelines, the Palmdale City Council meeting workshop scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 7 pm will be closed to the public. The meeting will be broadcast live on Channel 27, available on Spectrum cable or at www.cityofpalmdale.org. Residents who would like to comment on the agenda items or during public comment may text or email their questions to jjmurphy@cityofpalmdale.org or 661/382-2515 before or during the public comment period. Additionally, there is a form set up on the City’s website at http://cityofpalmdale.org/PublicComment where residents can submit their comments toprior to the meeting.
The City strongly advises the following practices to help maintain good health:
• Stay home if you feel ill.
• Wash your hands often with soap and hot water.
• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water is unavailable.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands).
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Limit close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid shaking hands.
• Get a flu shot.
The City also advises residents to consult trusted sources for the latest, accurate information about novel coronavirus. Helpful sites include:
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/ • California Department of Public Health www.cdph.ca.gov/…/…/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National) http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019.html • World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
The City also has helpful information and links on its website at www.CityofPalmdale.org/coronavirus.