Updated: March 19, 2020
The City of Signal Hill is committed to the health and safety of everyone in our community. The City is under the jurisdiction of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, and we are committed to following all directives and guidance from County, State, and Federal health officials regarding COVID-19. The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an order to prohibit public gatherings, close public gathering places, and more. These decisions are based on evidence of increasing community transmission of COVID-19, requiring the immediate implementation of additional efforts to mitigate spread of the virus.
Public Library Closed Through March 31
The Signal Hill Public Library is closed through March 31, 2020. All programs, meeting room use, and facility rentals have been suspended through April 30, 2020. During this time, due dates for borrowed materials will be automatically extended, no late fines will be assessed, and patrons can return materials when the library reopens. Library staff will be available to provide assistance through telephone reference at 562-989-7323, Monday – Friday from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Text-a-Librarian will continue to be available at 562-284-2766, Monday – Friday from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Visit the Library’s webpage to access digital resources.
Non-Essential Programs and Events
The City of Signal Hill is canceling City non-essential programs and events through April. This includes the following:
- All Library programming, including Story Time, After School Club, First Friday Book Club, Library Teen Drop-In, and all other Library special events are canceled through April
- Senior Folding Group and Senior Social Club are canceled through April
- All Active Adult Excursions are canceled through April
- Youth Sports are canceled through April
- Spring Fest and the Ellen Ward Community Yard Sale are canceled
- The City’s After School Recreation Club and Tween Program will be closed through Friday, April 17
- All facility rentals (regardless of size) are canceled through March 31
- The Mayor’s Reception, originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, will be rescheduled for a later date
City Council, Commission and Committee Meetings
All City Council, Commission, and Committee meetings scheduled in March will take place as planned. Attendees must be in good health and free from respiratory symptoms. We will be enforcing social distancing measures for all attendees. At-risk community members (over 60, underlying health conditions, recent travel) should not attend in-person. All members of the public are highly encouraged to use one of the following alternatives:
- You can live-stream City Council meetings via the City’s website. You can also watch City Council meetings live on Charter Channel 3 and Frontier FiOS Channel 38. Repeat broadcasts are available daily at 7:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. 2 Members of the public wishing to participate and engage with public officials through public comments will have the option to access a teleconference line where they will have the opportunity to make public comments. Members of the public may also email public comments to be read into the record to CityClerk@cityofsignalhill.org or may call 562-989-7300.
- Members of the public wishing to listen in on Commission and Committee meetings, and those members of the public wishing to participate and engage with public officials through public comments, will have the option to access a teleconference line where they will have the opportunity to make public comments. Members of the public may also email public comments to be read into the record to CityClerk@cityofsignalhill.org or may call 562-989-7300.
City Hall Operations
City Hall continues to remain open to the public to ensure continuing operations. However, we strongly encourage residents and visitors to avoid coming to City Hall, and using alternate means to conduct business. If you must come in, please only do so if you are healthy and not an at-risk individual. Please maintain six feet of distance between yourself and all other individuals inside, including City employees. Please consider calling or e-mailing in lieu of coming to City Hall.
Police Department Operations
The Signal Hill Police Department continues to remain open to the public to ensure continuing operations. However, we are implementing temporary protective measures to keep the public and our personnel safe and healthy. We strongly encourage residents to consider conducting business with the Police Department in a manner that prevents spread of COVID-19.
- Our police station lobby is still open for business. However, if you have non-essential business, need to file a non-emergency report, or have general questions, we can assist you over the phone or via e-mail. Please consider calling SHPD at 562-989-7200 or e-mail watchcommander@signalhillpd.org in lieu of an in-person visit to the police station.
- If you do need to come to the station, please stay six feet apart from our employees and other individuals inside the building. If you are ill, considered high-risk, or have been potentially exposed to a sick person, please do not visit the Signal Hill Police Department.
- We are suspending street sweeping parking enforcement/ticketing through the end of March.
General Closures
The Los Angeles County Department of Health has issued an order to close all bars, brewpubs, taverns, entertainment centers, wineries, and movie theaters in the County, including in Signal Hill. Restaurants are limited to take-out and delivery service only. Signal Hill is enforcing this order. See our press release (PDF) for details.
EDCO is closing its Signal Hill Customer Service Center and its Signal Hill Buy-Back Center temporarily, until further notice. Visit edcodisposal.com for more information. Residential trash collection will continue to occur as scheduled.
These actions are being implemented not to cause concern, but to mitigate potential rapid transmission of COVID-19 in and around our community. These measures also protect at-risk individuals from becoming seriously ill and help to avoid an overload of our health care system. We encourage you to use trusted sources for information on COVID-19. Visit http://www.cityofsignalhill.org/coronavirus for the latest information and guidelines on how to stay healthy. You can also dial 2-1-1 for information directly from the L.A. County Public Health Department.