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Laguna Beach opens city beaches for active use all day weekdays

Beachgoers walk the sands between Cleo Street Beach and Main Beach on May 5.
Beachgoers walk the sands between Cleo Street Beach and Main Beach on May 5.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
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Laguna Beach’s city beaches are open for active use from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, thanks to a unanimous vote at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Both marine safety and police officers reported beachgoers have had good compliance with social distancing and active use requirements and that beaches have been able to be cleared and closed without incident. The city previously had a limited reopening of its beaches between the hours of 6 to 10 a.m. on weekdays for active use only, which began May 5.

Marine Safety Chief Kevin Snow said other Orange County cities such as San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach have been successful with active beach programs, adding that other counties such as San Diego and Los Angeles were looking to implement similar “beach in motion” programs.

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Laguna Beach residents raised concerns about constituent representation on the working group that developed the plans.

May 13, 2020

The city will also be experimenting with opening up beaches on weekends for active use only, between the hours of 6 a.m. to noon.

Residents spoke in favor of the reopenings and in support of marine safety and police officers. Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dicterow said that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive” from citizens, adding that if “a lack of density” is able to be maintained that he was in support of the recommendations.

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