The City Manager’s Monthly Report includes important information related to COVID-19 response efforts and programs, opportunities for public participation in steering the future of the City, and key updates from each City Department to keep community members informed about your City government.
Please take the time to read through this entire Report so you can stay connected to your community!
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SAN FERNANDO SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM |
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VETERANS RECOGNITION PROGRAM
The City's Veteran Recognition Program was created to honor and recognize local U.S. Military Veterans that reside (current or previously) or have a family member that resides in the City of San Fernando. Each year, the newly designed Veteran Banners will be displayed on Maclay Avenue beginning in May 2021 through November 2021. At the conclusion of each cycle, banners are returned to the applicant.
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ADDITIONAL SECTORS OF PHASE 1B, TIER 1 ARE NOW ELIGIBLIE FOR FREE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
On February 22, 2021, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) announced that additional sectors of Phase 1B, Tier 1 (Education and Childcare, Emergency Services and First Responders, and Food and Agriculture) would become eligible to be vaccinated in Los Angeles County, effective March 1, 2021. Additionally, LACDPH has indicated that the State of California has changed it’s vaccine rollout strategy after completion of Phase 1B, Tier 1 and plans to transition to age-based eligibility, allowing California to scale up and down quickly, while ensuring vaccine goes to disproportionately impacted communities.
The vaccine supply is still extremely limited, and Los Angeles County continues to urge patience as they work urgently with federal and state partners to expand capacity and supply in the weeks ahead.
Visit MyTurn.CA.Gov to check eligibility, make an appointment, and sign-up for notifications when you are eligible.
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FREE COVID-19 TESTING SITE AT RECREATION PARK
A free testing site for COVID-19 is available at San Fernando Recreation Park (208 Park Avenue) Monday through Saturday, from 8 am to 4 pm. Pre-registration is recommended, but San Fernando residents may also register on site.
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RECENT REVISIONS TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER ORDER
- On February 10, 2021, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was updated to clarify that in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and the subsequent change made by the State related to Places of Worship in Tier 1, Places of Worship can open for indoor services limited to 25% of indoor capacity and must continue to comply with the required modifications provided by Appendix A: Social (Physical Distancing).
- On February 18, 2021, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was updated to note that per the State Consolidated Framework and Guidance, when the Los Angeles County adjusted daily case rate has been less than 25 per 100,000 population for five consecutive days and the school has met all state and county requirements for opening, schools may open for in person instruction for students in grades TK-6. Schools in California may not reopen for in person instruction for grades 7-12 if the County is in tier 1 (Purple Widespread).
Please visit the City’s website for additional information and to download the current Health Order and Opening Protocols: WWW.SFCITY.ORG/Coronavirus.
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FACE COVERINGS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IS REQUIRED
Face Coverings:
Los Angeles County’s Health Officer Order requires face coverings when you are in public or private spaces, including while working at or visiting businesses, and in contact with people that are not part of your household or living unit.
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Social Distancing Protocols:
The Health Order indicates that individuals should remain in their residences whenever practicable, but when leaving your residence, social (physical) distancing must be practiced: maintain a minimum six-foot distance from each other; avoid going into businesses if you are sick; businesses may refuse service to customers not observing social distancing protocols.
Please visit the City’s website for the full Social Distancing Protocol, as well as other business opening protocols: WWW.SFCITY.ORG/Coronavirus.
Should you observe a business not complying with the proper protocols, violations may be reported to:
Community Development Department
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Subscribe to both of the City's notification methods to ensure you receive current information and connect with the official City of San Fernando social media channels through your computer or mobile device! |
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ALERT SAN FERNANDO
The City of San Fernando's local emergency alert system that uses both text and voice messages.
EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
Constant Contact, the City of San Fernando’s email notification platform, uses email messages to send meeting and programming information.
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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA |
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Pursuant to Executive N-29-20 and given the current health concerns, members of the public can access meetings live on-line, with audio and video, via the City's YouTube Channel. CLICK HERE to subscribe.
For City Council meetings, members of the public can submit comments electronically for City Council consideration by sending them to CityClerk@sfcity.org. To ensure distribution to the City Council prior to consideration of the agenda, please submit comments prior to 5:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Callers interested in providing a live public comment, may call Telephone Number: (669) 900-6833; Meeting ID: 833 6022 0211; and Passcode: 924965, between 6:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., on the day of the meeting callers will be heard in the order received and limited to three minutes. The call-in period may be extended by the Mayor.
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PUBLIC ACCESS TO CITY FACILITIES
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SAN FERNANDO CITY HALL: Effective February 22, 2021, San Fernando City Hall reopened with limited open hours to the public: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from noon through 5:30 p.m.
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SAN FERNANDO POLICE DEPARTMENT:
- Records Bureau: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm;
- Detective Bureau: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm; and
- Court Commitment services continue to be suspended until further notice.
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RECREATION FACILITIES: Both recreational facilities (Las Palmas Park, located at 505 S. Huntington St., San Fernando; and Recreation Park, located at 208 Park Ave., San Fernando) remain closed to the public and all in-person senior, recreation, and community programs have been suspended until further notice.
All visitors to City facilities must adhere to the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health guidelines for physical distancing and wear a cloth face covering to help slow the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in our community.
We strongly encourage the public to continue to conduct business with City Hall via telephone and email.
Planning & Zoning Permits; Building Permits & Inspections; Graffiti Removal
Water & Sewer Utilities
Police (non-emergency)
Tree & Street Services
Right-of-Way Permits, Projects & Inspections
Adult, Youth & Senior Programs
General Information
ONLINE PERMIT COUNTER
For additional convenience, the public may use the Online Permit Counter to submit building permit applications, track progress, and schedule inspections online:
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JOIN THE SAN FERNANDO CITY TEAM
Below, please find the current jobs that the City is recruiting for with their filing deadlines and/or status:
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Deputy City Clerk/Management Analyst: Filing closed February 1, 2021. Interview of the top candidates has been scheduled for March 2021.
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Police Sergeant: Recruitment for this in-house promotional position closes on March 29, 2021.
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Community Preservation Officer: Filing is open until vacancy is filled.
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City Electrician: Filing is open until vacancy is filled.
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Police Officer: Filing is open until vacancy is filled.
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Planning Intern: Filing is open until vacancy is filled.
Visit the City website (WWW.SFCITY.ORG/Personnel) to view the job bulletins and to download a City Employment Application.
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WELCOME THE NEWEST CITY TEAM MEMBERS
The City wishes to formally welcome the following San Fernando City Team Members who joined the City on the respective dates specified:
- Trevor Tauber, Property Control Officer (joined the City February 17, 2021);
- Nicholas Murillo, Police Cadet (joined the City February 22, 2021); and
- Vivian Raygoza, Police Cadet (joined the City February 22, 2021).
The City Team wishes to express our appreciation and excitement about these new team members. Their skills and talents will be a great addition to the San Fernando Family, especially at this critical time, as we navigate through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Welcome aboard!
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2021 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The San Fernando Education Commission received 55 Scholarship Application Essays and plans to announce the awardees at the next Education Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Contact the City Clerk's Department for additional information: (818) 898-1204 or CityClerk@sfcity.org.
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CITYWIDE PARKING MANAGEMENT
MASTER PLAN
Help us make parking more convenient! The City of San Fernando is launching a Citywide Parking Management Master Plan. The parking management plan will help comprehensively address both the location and amount of parking in specified locations. The project area includes all on-street parking areas within the City of San Fernando as well as off-street parking lots in major corridors.
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PLANNING AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION
- At its regular meeting on February 8, 2021, the Planning and Preservation Commission selected Alvin Durham, Jr. to continue serving as Chair, and Marvin R. Perez to serve as Vice-Chair. The Commission also received a presentation on recent changes to accessory dwelling unit laws statewide.
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The next regular meeting of the Planning and Preservation Commission will be held on March 8, 2021. A public hearing is scheduled to consider updated floodplain management regulations. CLICK HERE to view agenda.
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COMMUNITY PRESERVATION STATISTICS: JULY 2019 - JANUARY 2021
Data provided below describes efforts in Code Enforcement and Graffiti Abatement for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 and Fiscal Year 2020-2021 to date.
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SERVICES IMPACTED DUE TO COVID-19
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WATER BILLS: The City of San Fernando WILL NOT be disconnecting any customers’ water and WILL BE waiving all late fees due to limited access to City Hall. If you are behind in your account, the City encourages you to set-up a payment plan, if possible. If your water bill is due, currently, there are three payment options:
- By Mail: City of San Fernando, 117 Macneil Street, San Fernando, CA 91340.
- Night Dropbox: Located outside City Hall’s main entrance on the right-hand side. Place your payment in an envelope and put it in the drop box. NO CASH PLEASE. Payments received in the drop-box will be processed by 9:00 am the next business day.
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AutoPay: Available to all City of San Fernando water customers. It is a direct debit program that works with your bank for a quick and simple way to pay your utility bill electronically. Click Here to download an AutoPay Application.
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SWAP MEET LICENSE RENEWAL: Due to limited access to City Hall, the City has extended the deadline for Swap Meet License Renewal to March 31, 2021.
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RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMITS: The City will not enforces residential parking permits at this time. Due to limited access to City Hall, the City has extended the deadline for Residential Parking Permits to March 31, 2021.
Please contact the Finance Department with questions or to set-up payment plans: Finance@sfcity.org or (818) 898-1212.
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ATTEMPTED BURGLARY SUSPECT APPREHENDED AFTER FLEEING ONTO ROOF
On January 27, 2020, at approximately 4:50 am, Team 2 Patrol officers responded to the 700 block S. Brand Blvd regarding a male suspect attempting to open the door to a residence. Upon responding Officers arrival, the suspect was gone. Within a few minutes, multiple 911 calls were received of a male running through nearby backyards.
A perimeter was established with the assistance of Los Angeles Police Department Airship 19 and Los Angeles Fire Department Engine 898 after Officers observed the suspect running across rooftops, armed with an unknown object. Eventually, the suspect climbed down from the roof and fled on foot. During the foot pursuit, the suspect reached into his waistband and Officers feared he was armed with a weapon causing them to use a less lethal weapon to take him into custody without further incident. The suspect was deemed to need mental health treatment and was transported to Olive View Medical Center for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation.
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NARCOTICS ARREST
On February 6, 2021, at approximately 2:15 am, Officers Zibli and Najera stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, the driver was detained for a suspended driver's license and during the subsequent vehicle inventory, Officers located a large quantity of what appeared to be cocaine or fentanyl, over $2,000 in cash, a large digital scale, two large bags of what appeared to be additional narcotics, and three loaded handguns. The driver was arrested and, upon further investigation, Officers learned that the driver was also under investigation by a Special Enforcement Unit in Ventura County. This arrest assisted the Ventura County unit in obtaining a search warrant for the driver's residence (in Simi Valley) and the recovery of more illegal drugs and weapons.
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SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE
Recently, the tenacious investigative efforts of Detective Evelyn Diaz resulted in the conviction of an offender of child annoyance, sexual assault, and multiple incidents of indecent exposure. The year-long investigation began in November 2019, and with the cooperative efforts of San Fernando Patrol Officers, Los Angeles Unified School Police, and the District Attorney's Office, the offender was sentenced to six years in prison.
Members of the community may now feel safer knowing this predatory individual is off the street and behind bars.
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TREE CITY USA
The City was awarded status as a Tree City USA city for the 13th year from the Arbor Day Foundation. In order to achieve this status, the City has met four core standards for sound urban forestry management: 1) maintaining a tree board or department, 2) having a community tree ordinance, 3) spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and 4) celebrating Arbor Day.
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POTHOLE MAINTENANCE
Public Works staff has been researching new methods, materials, and equipment to use for pothole repairs in the City. You might see crews starting to use these new materials on San Fernando streets soon and staff will continue to try these new methods to test their long-term performance. The Public Works Department's goal is to develop longer lasting repairs until the streets can be repaved.
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SAFE AND ACTIVE STREETS
The City held the first meeting with the Advisory Group for the Safe and Active Streets plan. The Advisory Group is made up of members of the community (i.e., residents, business owners, community leaders), City staff, and the project consultants. Together, the group discussed the first steps of the project, which involves discussing priority areas to be studied for safety improvements that promote walking and biking in the City. The group also discussed ideas for getting the word out on the project to the broader community in San Fernando. A key responsibility for the group will be shaping an effective community outreach plan so that wide participation and input from residents and business owners may be obtained. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021 and the City will then be able to pursue grant opportunities to take projects into construction.
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FREE OIL FILTER IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR USED OIL FILTER
Recycle your used motor oil filter and get one for free at the San Fernando Filter Exchange Drive. All those who bring their used oil filter along with a coupon will receive one FREE new Oil Filter. Visit www.FreeFilterLA.com to download a coupon for redemption. The coupon is valid on April 10, 2021, 7:30 am to 9 pm, at AutoZone (55 N. Maclay Ave, San Fernando).
Recycling motor oil and filters help save the environment and keep water clean. Don’t miss out!
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SAN FERNANDO RESIDENTIAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM
The San Fernando Food Distribution Program (Round 4) was conducted on February 20, 2021, at Las Palmas Park. Approximatley 130 families residing in the City of San Fernando were approved to receive a supply of non-perishable food items, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and shower curtains to aid as social distancing barriers for households with limited space to self-isolate. In addition, families were provided with referral listings for other food resources, mental health services, and COVID-19 vaccination information.
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LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK
The Regional Food Bank distribution was held on March 1, 2021, at Las Palmas Park. This monthly drive-through Food Bank distribution continues to serve seniors age 60 and over on the first Monday of every month at Las Palmas Park. This program provides a free food kit containing nutritious items such as meats, canned fruits and vegetables, cereals and grains and serves an average of 150 seniors each month.
The next event will be held on April 5, 2021, from 9 am to 11 am. For more information on food assistance programs please contact Las Palmas Park at (818) 898-7340.
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COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS
The Recreation and Community Services Department (RCS) hosted the last of the three-series virtual Community Input Meetings on February 13, 2021. The meeting included information on grant applications the RCS Department is submitting for potential renovations on existing parks. A total of 37 participants attended the virtual meeting and provided great feedback as to how to better serve the community’s park needs. RCS staff will now complete the grant applications which are due no later than March 12, 2021.
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PARKS, WELLNESS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
The Parks, Wellness and Recreation Commission met on February 9, 2021, via Zoom. Items discussed included the Senior Citizens Advisory Board recruitment, approval of art murals on private property, and several other Continued Business items including the Community Theatre Program, the Department’s response to COVID-19, the Layne Park Revitalization Project, and an update on the Tutčint Youth Empowerment Program.
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OUTDOOR FITNESS
The Recreation and Community Services Department began a six-week Outdoor Fitness Program in March 2021, at Las Palmas Park. The Physically Distanced & Fit - Park Fitness Program is a leisurely reintroduction to in-person fitness classes offering Zumba and Total Body Conditioning al fresco! Seasoned instructors, Leilani Ayson and Berenice Gutierrez, are ready to get the community dancing, stretching, toning and sweating once again. Sign up TODAY!
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TUTCINT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
On Saturday, February 27, 2021, Tutčint Youth Empowerment Program, a partnership between Pukuu Cultural Community Services and the City of San Fernando, held its third Virtual Culmination/Rite of Passage Ceremony for participants who have completed a six-month cohort (September 2020 through February 2021). This special event was conducted to recognize and welcome program participants into a caring community that supports them on their path to becoming Social Justice Leaders.
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TEENS FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY (TBC)
Teens for a Better Community (TBC) Program will host a College Prep workshop on March 18, 2021. Teens will learn what universities are looking for and how they can meet those requirements. In April 2021, TBC is planning an Earth Day event.
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NEW - SIT AND BE FIT WITH CHAIR ZUMA!
Take a seat and get ready for a dance fitness workout! By using a chair, this modified Zumba class provides a low-impact option that is great for seniors and other individuals who are unable to tolerate the rigors of a standard class. The class will feature seated movements that help to improve balance, coordination, and overall strength. This class is taught by our Senior Zumba Instructor, Joanne Fajardo and is free so sign up today! Contact Las Palmas Park at (818) 898-7340 or visit the City's website for more information: WWW.SFCITY.ORG/SFRecreation/#Senior-Fitness.
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GIVING BACK FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME
The Las Palmas Golden Fun League (LPGFL) kicked off February 2021 by giving back to the community. LPGFL joined forces with LA WORKS to create Valentines for Vets. With the help from 10 seniors, the team was able to make 55 Valentine cards for veterans. More volunteer opportunities with LA WORKS’ volunteer program will be available soon! Visit Visit the City's website for updates and more information: WWW.SFCITY.ORG/SFRecreation/#Las-Palmas-Golden-Fun-League.
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VIRTUAL SENIOR ACTIVITIES
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person special events have been cancelled and public meetings will be conducted virtually or cancelled. Visit our website for a current listing of public meetings and other events/programs. |
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