That the City Council:
A.  Receive this report; and

B.  APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ____ ENTITLED:  A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, REAFFIRMING RESOLUTION NO. 5934 WHICH RATIFIED THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES DECLARATION OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY DUE TO COVID-19.

On January 31, 2020, the United States federal government declared a nationwide emergency in response to growing concern for public health related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  For this same reason, on February 26, 2020, the County of Orange declared a local health emergency and on March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in California.

On March 16, 2020, in response to these actions, and pursuant to Government Code Section 8550 et seq., including Section 8558(c), City Manager Sadro, acting in his lawful capacity as Director of Emergency Services for the City of La Habra, proclaimed the existence of a local emergency in La Habra (Attachment 1).  On that same day, the City Council ratified the proclamation through its approval of Resolution No. 5934 (Attachment 2).

Pursuant to Government Code Section 8630, the City Council is required to review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the governing body (i.e. the City Council) terminates the local emergency.  Given continuing actions by the federal government, the State of California, and the County of Orange to control the spread of COVID-19, the City Council reaffirmed the 60-day emergency declaration by approving Resolution No. 5943 on May 4, 2020 (Attachment 3), and again on June 15, 2020, through Resolution No. 5955 (Attachment 4), and again on August 3, 2020, through Resolution No. 5967 (Attachment 5), and again on September 21, 2020, through Resolution No. 5974 (Attachment 6), and again on November 2, 2020, through Resolution No. 5976 (Attachment 7), and again on December 21, 2020, through Resolution No. 5983 (Attachment 8), and again on February 16, 2021, through Resolution No. 5985 (Attachment 9).
 
Although the COVID-19 vaccine is now being distributed, it will take time for enough of the population to be inoculated to slow the spread of the disease, and it does not appear that the local emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic will conclude within the extended 60-day window approved by the City Council's most recent emergency declaration reaffirmation, which is scheduled to end on April 17, 2021.  Therefore, staff recommends the City Council adopt the attached draft resolution (Attachment 10) and reaffirm the local emergency declaration for an additional 60-day period; however, due to the lifting of statewide stay at home orders and the broader reopening of businesses, staff recommends that the City Council re-institute the enforcement of street sweeping parking violations, in accordance with La Habra Municipal Code Chapter 10.20.30, which had been previously suspended.

Staff will continue to monitor County, State and Federal actions regarding the pandemic emergency and will advise Council at a future date whether the local emergency declaration should once again be extended, or if it can be terminated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immediate and ongoing impact on City finances, most notably in revenues from fee based services and costs associated with COVID-19 response efforts. 

ED 9.1 Balanced Fiscal Practices