With More Heat Ahead, Communities Weigh COVID Concerns, Holiday Beach Closures
SAN MATEO COUNTY (KPIX) -- With another holiday weekend and heatwave on the horizon for the Bay Area, the urge to get outside is real. But in San Mateo County, the options as far as where to go are limited.
In Pacifica, just like on the 4th of July weekend, the beaches and beach parking lots will be closed from sunrise Saturday morning to sunrise Tuesday morning.
"4th of July was a huge success. We do see record numbers on holiday weekends, we've been seeing record numbers on weekdays right now and we believe the same conditions are created this Labor Day. And that's why we feel it's essential to close our beaches," Mayor Deirdre Martin told KPIX 5 Wednesday.
Pacifica is specifically closing these locations:
- Pacifica State Beach (Linda Mar Beach) and north and south parking lots,
- Crespi parking lot in front of the Pacifica Community Center,
- Rockaway Beach and north and south parking lots,
- Sharp Park Beach
- Esplanade Beach and Fisherman's Lot in the 800 block of Palmetto Avenue
The city also announced that local hiking trails and other public areas will be open over the weekend.
13 miles south on Highway 1, things are different in Half Moon Bay. The gates are still stacked up on the ground from the last closure, but the beaches will remain open.
Mayor Adam Eisen said the decision came down to logistics, with eight different jurisdictions each having a say over the the Half Moon Bay coastline.
"We couldn't make it work the way we need it to in order to have the correct enforcement necessary. And when we don't have the correct enforcement, the parking lots are shut down and people park in the neighborhoods and then come down to the beaches anyways," said Eisen.
The decision came after a long city council meeting Tuesday night. Eisen said he is worried about possibly getting inundated this weekend and isn't sure what the right answer is.
"I'm scared. Just for the record, I'm scared. I'm nervous. There are citizens that have already written me in Half Moon Bay, 'You're a monster! How can you let this happen?'"
In Half Moon Bay, beach goers were elated.
"Everybody needs fresh air. Nobody wants to stay at home anymore," said Cesar Figurado.
In Pacifica, they were resigned to another weekend locked away from the sand and the surf.
"I think it's a bummer, unfortunately. It'd be nice to have it open for everyone," said surfer Alberto Lovell.
For the Fourth of July, there was more unity as far as beach closures with the entire San Mateo County coastline shut down as well as all of Santa Cruz County and Marin County. But it is only Wednesday and the governor has yet to weigh in on the situation.
It is possible that, despite the progress California has made with COVID, there could be a statewide mandate closing beaches, so this remains a wait and see scenario as far as what happens in San Mateo County and the rest of the region.
