By Jondi Gumz
Aptos residents are worried about visitors gathering at local beaches, renting vacation homes and spreading the contagious coronavirus COVID-19.
So is Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel.
Last week, citing overwhelming weekend beach crowds that undermined state and local shelter-in-place orders, the County of Santa Cruz announced new rules to make beach off limits between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. beginning May 2.
No umbrellas, barbecues, coolers, beach chairs, or shade structures, tents or other equipment will be allowed at any time. Previous limits on beach activities such as lying, sitting, standing, sunbathing, sightseeing and other non-exercise related activities remain in place.
What is allowed: Surfing, paddleboarding, boogie boarding, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. Beaches may be traversed to participate in these activities, and parkways, sidewalks and trails next to beaches will remain open.
Dr. Gail Newel
“Despite warnings against travelling to Santa Cruz County for beach access and against congregating on beaches, local law enforcement spent the weekend responding to numerous issues all along our coastline,” Sheriff Jim Hart said. “Unfortunately, these actions are necessary to protect the health and welfare of our most vulnerable residents. The Sheriff’s Office, the police departments and State Parks will do everything we can to support the Health Officer and enforce her revised order.”
The order will remain in effect until revised by Newel.
As of April 29, Santa Cruz County reported 127 cases, two deaths, 3,492 negative test results, with two people currently hospitalized, including one in intensive care.
Ignoring Rules
Since Newel issued her shelter in place order March 16, local residents largely supported efforts to keep the virus at bay – until last weekend’s balmy weather.
Cowell’s Beach 2019
“Last weekend caught a lot of people by surprise,” said Newel during a telephone town hall with County Supervisor Zach Friend and his constituents Tuesday night. “We were dismayed by the crowds … Hotels were booking rooms, and one had opened the pool for a pool party. That can’t happen.”
After crowds flocked to open beaches last weekend, Gov. Newsom chastising beach-goers notably in Orange County for ignoring the social distance rules instituted to slow the spread of COVID-19.
He said the number of people in hospital intensive care in California was stable and the state was “just a few weeks away, not months” from being lifting some restrictions if that trend continues.
Newel’s next order is due out May 2; the last one expires May 3.
Her order allows vacation homes to be rented only to medical professionals seeking to avoid bringing the virus home to their family, not to casual visitors or vacationers.
Penalties
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has issued nearly 300 citations that carry a $1,000 fine in enforcing the shelter in place order, Friend said, noting 60 percent of those cited were locals, a sign of push-back against the safety measures.
Friend said the focus has been on violations at the beach, and that will shift to rental homes.
A woman who lives in a neighborhood full of vacation rentals asked how a $1,000 fine could be a deterrent when some owners can get $800 a night in rent.
Friend said the new order will make it clear that vacation homeowners could lose their permit over violations.
“Once word gets out on that, that may have a pretty significant impact,” he said.
He said letters have gone out to homeowners and the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors to put them on notice. The county counsel has informed Airbnb, the popular online rental platform.
Tip Line
A tip line has been set up at 831-454-7747 for people to leave information for the Sheriff’s Office about potential “shelter in place” violations.
One man called beach restrictions “unacceptable,” saying, “You’re preventing me from living.”
Newel responded, “I feel your pain, it’s a tough decision.”
Asked if it’s possible to close Santa Cruz County to visitors, Newel said El Dorado and Mono counties — where hospitals have a small number of intensive care beds — tried that approach for second home owners but because of an appeal were forced to backtrack.
The beach situation is difficult because counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have closed beaches while Santa Cruz County has not.
“I felt it was worth a try to keep the beaches and parks open,” Newel told residents Tuesday, noting she had moved to Santa Cruz County specifically for the outdoor amenities.
She closed the beaches and parks for a week during spring break, then reopened them.
“For a week now, it’s worked,” she said, noting the time in which cases double has increased, a sign for health officials that the pandemic is slowing.
However, she added, “We may have to close the beaches again.”
One day later, that assessment proved true.
Visit the Santa Cruz County Health Department website for the latest information.