LA County affirms Covid restaurant restrictions despite opposition

Outdoor dining suspension takes effect Wednesday night; LA City Council seeks repeal measure

(iStock)
(iStock)

Despite mounting opposition from some cities and businesses, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors narrowly voted to uphold its three-week suspension of outdoor dining. It is set to take effect Wednesday night.

The board voted 3-2 against a measure brought by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn to allow restaurants to fill half their outdoor seating before the state-imposed 10 p.m. curfew, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The county Board of Public Health had announced the outdoor dining suspension on Monday after certain metrics showed enough of an uptick in the spread of coronavirus to trigger more restrictive measures.

That decision drew immediate pushback from some officials around the county. The Pasadena City Council voted to allow outdoor dining to continue, which it has the authority to do.

The L.A. City Council voted 11-3 to seek a repeal of the measure. The City of L.A. is by far the biggest and most populous jurisdiction in the county.

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On Tuesday, the county also began outlining a new “Safer at Home” order. The name was used for the stay-at-home order imposed in March when the pandemic first took hold in the L.A. area. It appears the new order will be less restrictive.

“Nonessential businesses will be very much open; gyms will be open outdoor; zoos will be open; hair salons; mini-golf and go-karts will be open with reduced capacity,” Hahn said.

Last week, California adopted its own stay-at-home order for counties where the virus is spreading rapidly, including in L.A. County.

That order functions more like a curfew, which remains in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., through Dec. 21. [LAT] — Dennis Lynch