Riverside to reopen City Hall, other facilities after months of closures
RIVERSIDE, CA - JULY 30, 2020: Morgan DeVera,17, left, of Claremont does strength exercises on a steel picnic canopy because his rock climbing gym is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic on July 30, 2020 at Bonaminio Park in Riverside, California.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Riverside City Hall and other municipal facilities will reopen on Tuesday to the public for limited contacts after a roughly three-month closure that began in response to a surge in coronavirus cases that has since passed.
"The city is committed to providing high-quality services in a safe environment for the public and our employees,'' Mayor Rusty Bailey said Friday.
"I encourage everyone to continue observing the safety measures that have
allowed us to progress to this point.''
According to the Office of the City Manager, the One Stop Shop in City Hall at 3900 Main St. will be available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, beginning Tuesday. The facility provides assistance with commercial and residential development applications.
In-person council meetings will also resume Tuesday afternoon on the third floor of City Hall.
"I am pleased we are able to resume in-person public comment as one method, among many, for elected representatives to hear from residents,'' Councilman Steve Hemenway said.
The city will continue to allow residents who prefer not to attend in person to participate virtually via EngageRiverside.com.
The Riverside Public Utilities payment centers at 3901 Orange St. and 3025 Madison St. additionally will be open daily from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and the
Riverside Police Department's lobbies at all stations will be open again, along
with playgrounds in city parks, officials said.
RIVERSIDE, CA - JULY 22, 2020: Diners enjoy outdoor seating during the coronavirus pandemic at the Market Broiler restaurant on July 22, 2020 in Riverside, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
They emphasized that social distancing and facial covering requirements will remain in place, and in some locations, including City Hall, residents may have to receive a temperature check before being admitted.
City Manager Al Zelinka ordered all municipal buildings closed to the public on July 10, requiring residents to resort to telephone, online and standard mail communication for services.
The move was made amid a substantial increase in coronavirus cases
throughout Riverside County.
Only weeks earlier, the City Council had resumed in-person meetings, and several facilities that were slated to reopen within days were closed again. The city's original closures were initiated on March 13.
Bailey said the principal reason for the reopening next week stems from the county's move into the "red tier'' from the most restrictive "purple tier'' under the state's public health de-regulation plan, which bases removal of restrictions on COVID-19 testing and case rate thresholds.