SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said Friday that his deputies–along with law enforcement officials across the county–plan to enforce the beach restrictions issued Thursday by Health Officer Gail Newel.
The health officer imposed the rules to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Those orders, which go in effect Saturday will remain until Newel rescinds them, prohibit anyone from being on the beaches between 11am and 5pm. Surfing and other water activities are still allowed, however, and people may cross the beaches to partake in those.
The rule applies to beaches throughout the county.
“All the local law enforcement agencies are in support of this order, and they are going to do everything they can to support this order,” Hart said.
The rule will likely stay in place for “a few weeks,” Hart said.
The restrictions were created, Hart said, to discourage out-of-town visitors from making day trips to congregate on Santa Cruz County beaches, while keeping them open for shorter hours for locals.
“I think this order strikes a real balance,” Hart said. “It provides our community members access to parks and beaches during certain hours.”
The orders were also prompted, Hart said, by the hordes of people who were seen on the beaches over the past weekend.
“There were certain portions of the coastline that were just a mess,” he said. “The health officer was very concerned about it, I know that local law enforcement was very concerned about it, and so some adjustments had to be made.”
Anyone caught in violation of the orders could be warned, or be hit with fines up to $1,000.
Sheriff’s deputies have so far written 300 citations, Hart said.
The county has also temporarily limited hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and people who rent out their property to visitors to only essential workers and people who come here to perform essential work.
Businesses found in violation can face a $1,000 fine and possibly lose their permit, Hart said.
Hart said that law enforcement officials will normally start by warning people in violation of the order, but warned that repeat violators, or those committing egregious violations, can expect hefty fines.
“We’re going to take this order very seriously,” Hart said. “We don’t want people coming here from outside the area–it’s not appropriate right now according to the Health Officer. If there’s people in large groups, if there’s people who have been warned on the beach or if there’s people drinking or doing other things on the beach, they are going to get a citation.”
