Hundreds of beach visitors in San Mateo County issued warnings, citations

SAN MATEO, Calif. - The Bay Area forecast calls for a nice warm-up in the coming days, with temperatures peaking into the 80s in some locations. And for residents who were thinking about making a trip to the beach to beat the heat, law enforcement officials in San Mateo County say, think again.

Last week, hundreds of beachgoers were issued warnings, parking citations, or just asked to leave.

Linda Mar Beach (City of Pacifica)

In Pacifica, police said from Friday through Sunday, officers patrolling Linda Mar Beach were forced to order 275 visitors off the beach, after learning that they resided more than five miles away. 

Last month, as part of efforts to enforce shelter-in place and social distancing protocols, the county's health officer, Dr. Scott Morrow, issued an order that prohibits people to engage in outdoor recreational activity outside a five-mile radius of an individual's residence. 

Hundreds violated that order in other locations of San Mateo County, and sheriff’s officials said deputies were busy working to enforce the rules.

Tunitas Creek Beach

"Coast Side Patrol Deputies and Community Service Officers noticed an increase in out of area visitors during the weekend,” Lt. Stephanie Josephson said in a press release, adding, "We had hundreds of people on the beach and practically anywhere they could find a place to sit along the coast line.”

Last weekend, deputies gave verbal warnings to more than 650 people for shelter-in-place violations and issued four citations.

Coyote Point Recreation Area

"Most families encountered had packed their family vehicle with bags of toys, food and items for a full day at the beach,” Josephson said. "Most people seemed to be aware of the health orders but decided to take the chance in coming out to the beaches and complied with the verbal warnings.” She urged residents from outside the area to stay closer to home and remain in their own neighborhood.

In Pacifica, police said that about 45% of the vehicles parked along beach and trail areas from Friday to Sunday were from outside the five miles of where those vehicles were registered. 

The city’s mayor said the data suggested that many people were not taking the order seriously. Mayor Deirdre Martin warned that continued disregard may lead to a complete shut down of beaches. “...unsafe conditions are occurring and, as a result, the City, in coordination with the State, may be left with no choice but to close the beaches entirely to everyone unless conditions improve,” the mayor said. 

City officials stressed that they're committed to enforcing the efforts put in place aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19. "While Pacifica is normally a visitor friendly area with its beautiful beaches and trails,” police said, "the City takes this health crisis and shelter in place order seriously.”

Law enforcement officials also reminded residents that parking rules were being strictly enforced and called on people to adhere to the “no parking” signs posted along coastal roads.

Statewide, parks officials called on residents to avoid flocking to beaches and parks. Officials also reminded people that many beach parking lots have been closed to help keep crowds away. 

In a tweet last week, the California Department of Parks and Recreation said, "While it’s our mission to keep you outdoors & active, it’s also our mission to keep you safe," and urged, "Please don’t take any road trips to parks & beaches now and let’s all do our part to ‪#FlattenTheCurve.”