Granada Community Services District (GCSD), Half Moon Bay City Council, Home Top List, Podcasts, Public Agencies

Coastside Beach Parking and Bathrooms Open By End of Friday 5/29/2020

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NOTICE FROM CITY of HMB.

Mayor Adam Eisen: All bathrooms and beach parking lots from Cowell State Beach to Miramar will be opening by the end of the day today. This required coordination with five different agencies. But we are all making it happen as we speak. Submitted Friday 5/29/2020 at 8:30am.

 

Thursday, May 28th, 2020
Memorial Day weekend on the coastside was, unfortunately, not a pleasant time for our community.
With the crowds of visitors came mounds of trash, cars parked haphazardly on neighborhood streets, people walking through sensitive habitat and erosion-susceptible areas and even using lawns as restrooms, beach-goers using the still-under-construction (and blocked-off) Poplar Beach stairs, and other careless behavior.
Our local beachside environment is one of the things that makes Half Moon Bay such a special place, for which we all share a sense of responsibility and pride – and, frustration when it is not respected by others.
To help prevent a recurrence of this unacceptable situation, and to create the safest environment for residents and visitors, the City has been working for the last few days with San Mateo County, the State, and California State Parks to allow for the reopening of the parking lots and restrooms at the beaches within our jurisdiction.
We expect that providing these services will alleviate some of the intensity of the problems we faced last weekend.
Visitors and locals should remember that social distancing protocols should be observed at all times when in public areas.
Specific to the beaches, the San Mateo County Health Order states that beaches are to be used only for running, walking, cycling, water sports, or other form of physical activity.
To prevent crowding and reduce the potential for spread of COVID-19, prohibited at beaches are the use or possession of umbrellas, shade structures, tents, BBQs and grills, coolers, chairs, hammocks, and other items designed to sit or lounge.
Although it is needless to say, no one should be walking in areas off-trail or where signs indicate sensitive habitat. It is dangerous and damaging to access Poplar Beach via the under-construction stairs, or down the erosion-prone slopes. Safe beach access is available approximately half a mile north of the stairs.
The reopening of parking lots and restrooms applies to all beaches within Half Moon Bay, from approximately Cañada Verde Creek in the south (Cowell Ranch Beach Access), to Pillar Point Harbor in the north. And, just so you know: at the risk of inviting even more people to the Coastside, we’re sending this information out in a news release with the hope that the message of “respect the Coastside” and the applicable regulations will be seen by the people who have been engaging in this kind of detrimental behavior.
Thank you to our Half Moon Bay residents for their patience and understanding during this very difficult time – we at the City share your concern and frustration, and will continue to monitor and respond to the situation in the coming week.

From Barbara Dye on NextDoor, El Granada resident and Granada Community Services District Board Member:

Most of the parking and restrooms will be open by tomorrow. The 11-5 rule has been removed, and the various agencies have all agreed together to reopen. Some lots with particular monitoring issues may stay closed.
GCSD will open the dirt parking lot on the Burnham Strip at noon today.
Coastside Buzz
Author: Coastside Buzz

Me

Related Buzz

5 thoughts on “Coastside Beach Parking and Bathrooms Open By End of Friday 5/29/2020”

  1. The new county Health Order has not yet been released, as of 11:45am, Friday, May 29, 2020. It has clearly been discussed with various government officials (not yet the MCC), and is referred to in several newspaper articles, so it’s almost certain, but we don’t have the actual new order yet, so we don’t know the details.

    Pacifica also put out a press release that they are reopening the city beach facilities.

    1. Thanks Dave. Correct. My source my Mayor Adam Eisen and The City’s Special email. I also spoke to Rangers and Lifeguards and staff is preparing to open tomorrow morning. Let me know if you see the Order change before I do, so I can share it out.

    1. Probably, but not yet; I suspect State Parks is waiting for the actual order. I imagine the County will remove all the temporary No Parking zones near the parking lots, but I have no idea if that will happen today, over the weekend, or wait until Monday.

    2. I spoke to State Park Lifeguard, North Cossman, at Francis Beach and he said Montara was opened last weekend. Not sure of Gray Whale…let me know if you find out. 🙂

Comments are closed.