Northern LA Cities Ask Board Of Supervisors For Permission To Speed Up Reopening

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA) -- While less populated and condensed areas of California have been given the green light to begin reopening, most of Los Angeles County remains closed under strict Safer-At-Home orders.

But in Northern L.A. County, there's an effort to get the area on the fast track to reopening.

"I think it's important for cities to be able to meet their own benchmarks and safety reopen so they are not dependent only on the county," said L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger Friday. "The cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster and Palmdale have approached me to discuss how they can meet the benchmark criteria."

In a letter to Supervisor Barger this week, Santa Clarita city leaders requested that they be allowed to speed up their reopening stages, saying their infection rate for COVID-19 remains very low.

Santa Clarita has now joined Palmdale and Lancaster in asking for regional reopening plan, instead of following the entire county's order. They say their economies depend on it and can do it safely, at their own pace.

"We're ready," said Ray Javapour, owner of Olive Terrace Bar & Grill in Valencia. Since losing their dine-in business, they've been trying to survive on take out and delivery orders.

He said he's glad to hear Santa Clarita wants to help his restaurant get fully cooking again.

"If some communities are doing good and they are following the rules, they should be able to reopen and get back to business," Javapour said.

He said the paycheck protection program loan he was approved for will help for now, but he's worried about the future.

"Restaurants like this in this capacity with full service and seating cannot do less than 100 percent," he said.

To keep customers safe when they re-open, Javapour said they are checking employees temperatures, providing them PPE, socially distancing tables and getting rid of physical menus.

While some may be eager to sit down at a restaurant again, others said they would not feel comfortable resuming dine in service, even if restaurants were open.

"I would not feel comfortable dining-in," said Santa Clarita resident Maryann Wagner. "Even if you re-open everything tomorrow, it will all depend not the consumers and the customers and their confidence."

As for Javapour, he said he hopes the county will soon see that Santa Clarita is following the rules to slow the spread.

"That way the people who are not infected be able to still go out and enjoy their night or do business because the economy needs to be woken up," he said.

Supervisor Barger said she's asked the county counsel and Department of Public Health to look at and consider the cities' request.