Malibu City Hall To Reopen To The Public

MALIBU, CA — Malibu City Hall will reopen to the public at noon on Monday, June 28, the city announced Tuesday.

The city, which held off longer than many of its neighbors, cited high vaccination rates, low infection rates, and new workplace safety rules as a reason for its decision. City Hall had a soft-opening Monday, when second floor entry doors opened to the public from 5:30 PM until 4:30 PM. Public counter service is not available until next Tuesday, when the public can make reservations to access all city services.

“City Hall is more than just a building - it is an important gathering place, and a vital hub where community members can participate in public meetings, events and programs, conduct important business ask questions from and share ideas, concerns and feedback with City leaders and staff who serve the community,” Mayor Paul Grisanti said in a statement. “It is a great symbol of our progress in fighting the pandemic and returning to our normal lives that it is now safe enough to reopen City Hall for the public, and I can’t wait to see our neighbors and friends there in person after all this time.”

Even though City Hall is reopened, the City Council is still deciding how and when to reopen for public meetings. At the last Council meeting, City Manager Steve McClary advised the Council to wait until new workplace guidelines were released to decide about how to proceed with either a full or partial reopening to the public. At the Council’s June 28 meeting, they will form a subcommittee devoted to answering that question.

In another sign that the dust of 2020 hasn’t completely settled yet, visitors to City Hall and unvaccinated staff are still asked to wear facemasks out of an “abundance of caution.”

“While the pandemic metrics are steadily improving, there are still people in the community who may not want to or be able to get vaccinated for various reasons, and therefore still vulnerable to COVID-19,” the city said in a statement. “There are also still more contagious coronavirus variants active in Southern California, and COVID-19 continues to spread and be a public health threat for many communities in the United States and in many countries abroad.”

City Hall will open Monday and resume regular business hours Tuesday. It will be open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments can be made online at malibucity.org/appointments, or by phone at 310-456-2489.