Beach parking lots are closed from Pismo to Cambria. Stay home, SLO County says
Update: The Cayucos Pier has closed as of Friday, SLO County officials announced.
Original story: Some San Luis Obispo County recreational areas — including campgrounds, a park and beach parking lots — will close over the next few days to encourage residents to stay closer to home and maintain social distancing.
County officials and the seven local cities released a joint statement Thursday noting the need for “physical distancing at parks, beaches and campgrounds in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) locally.”
“In normal times, we welcome out-of-town visitors to our campgrounds and beaches, but now is not the time,” SLO County Emergency Services Director Wade Horton said in a news release. “We must take this action to prevent large crowds from other areas coming into San Luis Obispo County to keep our community as healthy as possible.”
These actions, in accordance with county and state orders, include several steps.
What closed Thursday
▪ Signs have been posted on keeping physical distance of at least six feet from others at local sports courts, dog parks, skate parks and other areas. These areas may be closed if physical distancing requirements are ignored, officials say.
▪ Pismo Beach parking lots and parking meters will be strictly limited to one hour. People may visit beaches to walk, jog, surf and swim, but physical distancing requirements will be strictly enforced.
▪ San Luis Obispo will strictly enforce six feet of physical distancing requirements on trails and in parks.
What’s closing Friday
▪ Parking lot closures at all coastal county parks start at noon, including Cayucos, Hardie and Shamel.
▪ Parking lot closures at all Morro Bay beaches (including Morro Rock, Coleman Beach, Pit and Sand parking lots) start at 6 p.m. Friday. The Morro Bay public boat launch will also close (the boat launch will remain open to commercial fishing). Morro Bay will enforce strict physical distancing requirements on beaches, where people can walk, jog, surf and swim.
▪ All county campground reservations from Friday through April 30 will be canceled with full refunds. Existing campers will be required to leave no later than April 2.
El Chorro Park and Dairy Creek to close Monday
El Chorro Regional Park will close Monday at noon so the area can be used to care for homeless individuals who test positive for COVID-19. This includes the campground, day-use areas and Dairy Creek Golf Course.
“County park rangers will continue to patrol closed campgrounds,” the county said in a news release. “The county will coordinate with local organizations to ensure that existing services for people who are homeless are not disrupted.”
Morro Bay officials discourage tourism
In a news release, Morro Bay officials thanked “our tourists and visitors for coming to our city and recognizing the abundant outdoor recreational opportunities here,” while asking them to avoid destination travel.
“We encourage our visitors to explore their own hometowns during this time and know that Morro Bay will welcome back all visitors after the pandemic is fully addressed,” the news release reads.
San Luis Obispo County officials enacted a shelter-at-home order on March 19 that prohibits all gatherings outside households, except under limited circumstances.
“We all saw the proliferation of recreators on Southern California beaches last weekend. We feel that was irresponsible, and we must all do our part to follow the social distancing guidelines established by Gov. Newsom and the SLO County Public Health officer,” Morro Bay city manager Scott Collins said in a news release.
Morro Bay’s parking lot closures come after the city of San Luis Obispo on March 19 closed Laguna Lake Golf Course. The Pismo Preserve parking lot and the Pismo Pier were also closed earlier in the week because people were not remaining six feet apart.
“We encourage SLO County residents and those who wish to visit SLO County to recreate near their respective homes,” Horton stated. “We look forward to welcoming visitors again when it is safe to do so.”
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 7:26 PM.