Laguna Beach will close its stretch of coastline Saturday to discourage residents and visitors from congregating on the sand on the Fourth of July holiday, a move officials say is necessary in light of a troubling surge in coronavirus cases.
The Orange County city had previously canceled its annual fireworks display, but officials took it a step further Tuesday night and opted to close the beach entirely on a day that typically draws massive crowds to the city.
“Particularly on the Fourth of July when there were fireworks ... it looked like sardines in a can,” Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said. “There was no space in between people. My concern is that even without the fireworks, there just may be a huge density of people on the beaches.”
If crowds in Laguna Beach become overwhelming, the city manager can extend the beach closures to Friday and Sunday.
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The City Council’s decision comes on the heels of moves by Los Angeles and Ventura counties also announcing beach closures over the holiday weekend. In Los Angeles County, all public beaches, piers, public beach parking lots, beach bike paths “that traverse that sanded portion of the beach” and beach access points will be closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
Ventura County beaches, parking lots and restrooms will also be shuttered from Friday through Monday to discourage gatherings.
The closures come as the state is in the midst of a massive surge in coronavirus cases, recording back-to-back record-high daily infections. Gov. Gavin Newsom has warned that additional restrictions are coming.
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Other Orange County cities have given no indication that they will follow Laguna Beach’s lead in closing their beaches. Laguna was the first city in the county to block access to its shores as part of the initial coronavirus shutdown in March.
Up the coast in Newport Beach, lifeguards say they are prepared for an influx beyond the typical Fourth of July crush as displaced L.A. County beachgoers look for the next closest sand and surf.
Brian O’Rourke, a Newport lifeguard battalion chief, said the ocean beaches will be staffed similarly to last year, with about 60 people on duty between 35 towers, 10 vehicles, three rescue boats and the headquarters on Newport Pier, with the flexibility to call in reinforcements if the turnout demands it.
With temperatures forecast in the mid-70s and swells of 5 to 7 feet, O’Rourke expects the weekend will be a busy one at the beach.
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“We’re prepared to go,” he said.
Crowds along the shore in Newport and Huntington beaches grabbed headlines earlier in the pandemic when a heat wave and waning patience with the state’s stay-at-home order drew thousands to the sand. The situation prompted Newsom to close all beaches in the county on April 30. They were reopened for “active use” about a week later, and fully reopened in June.
Orange County confirmed 10 additional coronavirus-related deaths and 779 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the largest single-day number of new infections the county has reported since the pandemic hit. The daily tally brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Orange County to 13,843. Officials have reported 340 deaths countywide.
The county has a case rate of 115.2 per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 9.9%, according to health officials.
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The state has set a desired standard average of 25 positive cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period, and a seven-day average positive test rate of 8%.
The grim numbers over the last several days prompted Newsom on Monday to add Orange County to his county watch list, which now includes 18 counties , putting the area on notice that its reopening could be scaled back if the outlook doesn’t improve.
A day earlier, the governor ordered seven counties — Los Angeles, Fresno, Kern, San Joaquin, Tulare, Kings and Imperial — to close bars, breweries and pubs that sell alcoholic drinks without serving food at the same time.
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Though they have not been mandated to do so by the state, Orange County officials on Tuesday said they are also considering closing bars.
“Throughout our pandemic response, and in our phased reopening, we have consistently stated that we would closely monitor the data and correct course as needed,” said Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel. “I, and my colleagues on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, remain dedicated to protecting the health and safety of our residents.”
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