Santa Maria City Council meetings reopening to the public

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The City of Santa Maria has announced City Council meetings will reopen to the public beginning Tuesday, July 20.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings have been closed to the public and were conducted in a virtual format over Zoom.

“We look forward to interacting face-to-face with our residents again,” Mayor Alice Patino said. “We really want the public to attend, be informed, and participate in decisions that impact our city.”

According to the a city release, masks are not required for those who are fully vaccinated.

Residents will self-attest they are in compliance with current Santa Barbara County Public Health Department orders regarding face coverings.

Santa Maria City Council chambers has a public seating capacity of 120 persons.

Meetings will continue to be broadcast live on the City of Santa Maria website, YouTube Channel, and the government channel 23 on Comcast.

Santa Maria City Hall is still closed to the public because of an ongoing construction project.