Heatwave sparks additional parking restrictions, police patrol
By Sam Catanzaro
Coastal parking restrictions and active police enforcement have come to Santa Monica to prevent beach crowds as a heatwave coincides with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
According to the City of Santa Monica, parking restrictions will be in place along Bay Street between Ocean Front Walk and Neilson Way, and on Ocean Boulevard between Bay Street and Hollister Avenue. The restrictions, which went into effect Friday, remain in place until Sunday. Vehicles with a displayed residential parking permit will not be cited or towed if using meters at these locations during restrictions.
Santa Monica beach, beach bike path, beach parking lots, beach access points and Palisades Park remain closed through May 15. On March 27, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ordered the temporary closure of all public beaches, beach bike paths, public trails, and beach access points.
According to the City, the Santa Monica Police Department will be actively patrolling the beach area this weekend and will issue citations, if necessary, to protect the public’s health.
“These closures are part of protecting the public’s health and help avoid a steep rise in COVID-19 cases like the country has seen in New York City. Currently, LA County is experiencing a more gradual increase in cases as a result of the stay at home orders and physical distancing,” the City said in a press release. “Residents can go outside for a walk or to a local park, but everyone is encouraged to stay close to home as much as possible.”
As of Friday, there are 18,517 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in LA County, including 147 in Santa Monica. Countywide there have been 848 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19, according to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health.
