City of Brea Holiday Schedule and Reminders

In observance of the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the City of Brea administrative offices will be closed beginning on Thursday, December 24 and will return to normal operations on Monday, January 4, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all other City facilities remain closed.

There will be no trash collection on December 25 and January 1. Then, for the reminder of those weeks, service is delayed by one day. Please remember to set out carts by 6:00 a.m. There will be no street sweeping between December 24 and January 1. Regular street sweeping will resume on January 4.

Christmas trees will be collected and recycled beginning Monday, December 28 – Friday, January 8. When disposing, please cut up natural trees and place them in the brown yard waste container. If your tree is over 6 feet, it can be cut in half and placed at the curb. Be sure to remove all decorations and the stand. Trees with flocking or in bags are not recyclable. Cut and place them in the black trash container or schedule a bulky item pick-up. For more information, please call Republic Services at 714-238-2444.

Stay Fire Safe this Holiday Season

Here are some helpful fire safety reminders from the Brea Fire Department:

• Cooking is the top cause of holiday fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Make sure to keep a kitchen fire extinguisher that’s rated for all types of fires, and check that smoke detectors are working.
• Inspect decorative light strings, and throw out any with frayed or cracked wires or broken sockets.
• When decorating, don’t run more than three strings of lights end to end.
• Extension cords should be in good condition and UL-rated for indoor or outdoor use.
• A heat source too close to the tree causes one in every four Christmas tree fires.
• Never leave flames unattended. Before bed, walk through each room to make sure candles are out.
• Make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean. Before the holiday season begins, have your chimney inspected to see if it needs cleaning. When cleaning out the fireplace, put embers in a metal container and set them outside to cool for 24 hours before disposal.

Holiday Giving
Many Brea families and individuals find themselves in need throughout the year, and especially this holiday season due to the pandemic. If you are considering donating this year, the Brea Resource Center is coordinating giving opportunities, like the Wish Tree and BCEC. The community’s kindness makes a real difference to brighten up the outlook of families and individuals in need. More information is available here.

Feed Brea Pop-Up Pantry Returns on December 19
The Feed Brea Pop-Up Pantry returns on Saturday, December 19, at Brea Olinda High School, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Families in need can drive-through to receive a free pre-filled box of groceries, containing protein and produce, while supplies last. In September, Brea community leaders began partnering with “Farmers to Families” to bring this drive-through, Pop-Up Pantry to Brea on Saturday mornings. It continued into October and the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In the months of September and October, Feed Brea organizers reported that 14,700 food boxes, and 4,800 prepared meals, were distributed, to more than 12,000 families. The effort also involved 2,800 volunteer hours. A true community collaboration! For more information, visit Feed Brea's Facebook page.
 
Brea City Council Reorganizes at December 15 Meeting
The Brea City Council will conduct its annual reorganization at the next regular meeting scheduled on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. At this time, a new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem will be selected from among the Council and be officially seated to their new positions. Newly elected Council Members and the Treasurer will also be sworn-in during the meeting. The public is invited to view the meeting live online at cityofbrea.net/breatv, on Spectrum ch. 3, AT&T U-Verse ch. 99 and via Zoom. For more information, and details on how to make a public comment, click here.
 
Commissions/Committee Recruitment
The City of Brea encourages residents to apply for positions on City Commissions and Committees that have terms expiring in 2020. The deadline to submit an application is December 18 at 5:00 p.m. Interviews will be conducted in January 2021. Recruitment is for two (2) positions on the Art in Public Places Committee; Cultural Arts Commission; Parks, Recreation and Human Services Commission; and Planning Commission. There are three (3) positions on the Traffic Committee. Click here for more information.
 
Orange County Under Regional Stay-at-Home Order
Orange County, along with the entire Southern California region, is currently under the State of California’s Regional Stay-at-Home Order. The Order went into effect on Sunday, December 6 at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in place for at least three weeks. Last week, Governor Newsom announced the framework for the Regional Stay-at-Home Order. This new Order goes into effect within 24 hours when a region’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity drops below 15%. Orange County is in the Southern California Region, along with 10 other counties. Our region’s ICU capacity dropped to 13.1% on Saturday, December 5, which triggered the Order to take effect. As of December 9, the Southern California regions’ ICU capacity is at 9% availability.

The Regional Stay-at-Home Order prohibits private gatherings of any size and closes some sector operations, except for critical infrastructure and retail. For example, stores and shopping centers should be limiting capacity to 20% and restaurants can remain open for take-out. More detailed information on the Order can be found on the State of California’s website.
 
Parking Permit Renewal
It’s time to renew your annual City of Brea overnight parking permits for the upcoming year. New permits need to be displayed beginning January 1, 2021. Although the enforcement of overnight street parking is currently suspended due to COVID-19 and the Stay-at-Home order, a permit will be required once enforcement resumes. Parking permits can now be purchased online at cityofbrea.net/parkingpermits. A video is available to walk you through the online process.
 
 
Night Time Work for Citywide Sewer Inspection
As part of ongoing efforts to improve and maintain the City’s Sewer System, Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) inspections of sewer mains are being conducted citywide. Due to various factors, some inspections will need to take place overnight, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

The following streets are schedule to have overnight work from December 7 – 11:

• Berry St, from Lambert Rd to south of Imperial Hwy at Arovista Park
• State College Blvd, from Citrus Place to south of Imperial Hwy at Craig Park
• Randolph Creek, from Randolph Ave to State College Blvd

 
City of Brea Virtual 5K
Put on your running shoes and join the City of Brea for a virtual 5K race. Participate by running, jogging or walking anywhere you chose, even on a treadmill, and at your own pace. The $28 registration fee includes a commemorative medal and t-shirt (available in crew or V-neck styles). Complete your 5K anytime, anywhere by January 31, 2021. Register at BreaRec.com (Class # 9912). Click here for more information.
Medal and t-shirt pick-up takes place at the Brea Community Center, 695 Madison Way, Brea, on Friday, December 18 or Saturday, December 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Be sure to share your photos with us on social media by using #breafitnesscenter and #breamakesfithappen.
 
Outdoor Fitness Classes at the Brea Community Center
The Brea Community Center is offering outdoor boot camp, cycle, Zumba and more. Personal training and Pilates Reformer training is also available outdoors, by appointment only. Make a reservation by sending an email BreaFitTeam@cityofbrea.net or calling 714-494-6186. Click here for more information.
 
Keep Yourself and Our Community Safe
In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, we encourage the community to continue complying with all State and County health orders, as well as using best health practices. Stay vigilant and follow the best practices listed below. More COVID-related information is available at cityofbrea.net/covid19.

• Wash hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds.
• Wear a face covering in public.
• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces, such as cell phones, doorknobs, light switches, keys, etc.
• Physically distance and avoid mixing with those you do not live with.