Downey Avenue closed to traffic but for how long?

Photo by Eric Pierce

DOWNEY — Hoping to give local businesses an added advantage during the current crisis, the Downey City Council voted on Tuesday to shut down one block of Downey Avenue within downtown.

Downey Avenue will now be closed between the 2nd and 3rd streets for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for anywhere up to 180 days.

The move comes as restaurants continually have to adapt to a new way of business, with COVID-19 protocols effectively shutting down all indoor dining options and forcing them outside.

With the downtown area now closed off to vehicular traffic, the city hopes that the businesses in the area will be able to utilize the space for day-to-day operations.

However, the Council’s decision does come with a healthy amount of caution.

Councilman Alex Saab – who pulled the item from the consent calendar – said that he believed it was a “good idea,” but wanted to make sure that the negative impacts did not outweigh the good.

“I know that we’re all trying to do what we can to help our businesses,” said Saab. “I just wanted to make sure that we have a plan in place to assess whether it’s beneficial or not.”

“My concern is that the businesses outside of that little zone – or even some of the businesses within the zone – that don’t necessarily benefit from it, and then the traffic.”

According to City Manager Gilbert Livas, there is currently only one restaurant taking advantage of the closure..

“What we want to see is more businesses participating,” said Livas. “Certainly, if the other businesses don’t participate then you can call that not successful.”

Livas added that in other cities, similar instances had “taken a couple weeks to take off.” Still, the street could be reopened if it became clear that the closure would not be effective.

“We don’t have to wait 180 days,” said Livas. “If people don’t set up out there and businesses don’t want it, we’ll remove it.

“We will be in communication with the Downtown Businesses District and make sure that it is something beneficial to them as well.”

The vote passed 4-0 with Mayor Blanca Pacheco abstaining because she has an office in the area.

Evictions

Downey’s moratoriums on COVID-19 related residential and commercial rental evictions were extended on Tuesday, with a new expiration date set for the end of September.

Originally passed in June, both moratoriums provide a bit of relief for renters who may be struggling to pay their rent due to the financial impacts of COVID-19.

In addition to the halt in evictions, renters also have a two month repayment period for every month they are behind to settle their debt.

Initially set to expire at midnight Tuesday evening, the moratoriums will now last until September 30.

Plaque subcommittee

With Measure S spending nearing its conclusion, the City Council on Tuesday voted to create an ad hoc sub-committee to determine where to install plaques around renovated parks and buildings.

Measure S – the half-cent sales tax increase approved by 63% of Downey voters in 2016 – has funded upgrades to Downey parks, fire stations, library, and theater.

It is not uncommon for a major city project to be dedicated with some sort of marker – usually a plaque – which commemorates the date of the opening ceremony as well as council members and staff members who presided over it.

However, on Tuesday there seemed to be some confusion – mainly by Councilman Sean Ashton – as to why there needed to be a subcommittee for such an installation in the first place.

“Normally, whenever we do a project, we just have the city plaque that says, ‘These are the council members, this is the city manager, this is the day we did the ribbon cutting,’” said Ashton. “Is this going to be something in addition to that? I just don’t see the use of it right now…I just think the way we’ve done it in the past is the way we should be doing it; whatever we’ve done for every other plaque in the city should be the same thing.”

It was Councilman Rick Rodriguez who explained his desire for a subcommittee to be formed.

“The reason I brought it up is because of [former mayor] Dave Gafin,” said Rodriguez. “Anybody who gives their time or service, I think that they deserve some kind of recognition.”

Rodriguez will serve on the subcommittee alongside Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Frometa.