The cities of Half Moon Bay and Pacifica will close all city beaches and their parking facilities for the holiday weekend to reduce crowds that can spread COVID-19. The beaches will reopen Monday morning.
Half Moon Bay will also close a portion of the Coastal Trail between Seymour Bridge and Kelly Avenue during that period. In Pacific, The Coastal Trail, Mori Point hiking trails, Beach Boulevard Promenade, and Pacifica Pier will remain open.
The cities say the weekend closures follow guidance by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who ordered vehicular access at all state beaches be closed during the Fourth of July weekend in the counties of San Mateo, Marin, Monterey, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma. No parking facilities are available to the public and parking on roadways is prohibited.
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office will have additional staff conducting fireworks and DUI enforcement and who will be present at all closed beaches ad coastal trail sections, according to Half Moon Bay officials.
“If the potential crowds here are similar to previous holiday crowds we’ve seen, this kind of action is necessary for the protection of public health and safety,” Half Moon Bay Mayor Adam Eisen said.
A spike in COVID-19 cases in the state has also prompted Gov. Newsom to order 19 counties on the state’s monitoring list to keep closed indoor operations for restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums and cardrooms for at least the next three weeks. San Mateo County is not currently on the state’s monitoring list.
