Carlsbad CA— Due to the number of people continuing to gather at city parks, trails and beaches, the City of Carlsbad announced it will temporarily close these public areas starting March 23 to help slow the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.
Based on an update to the County of San Diego’s COVID-19 public health order, cities where people are not following social distancing rules at parks, trails and beaches are advised to close these areas to the public.
The order is enforceable by law. The City of Carlsbad Police Department has set up teams to fan out to popular gathering locations and non-essential businesses using and education-first approach. If people don’t comply after that, the police has the authority to issue citations.
About six of Carlsbad’s 7 miles of coastline are owned and operated by the state of California. The city has made a formal request to the State Parks Department to close its beaches and parking lots in Carlsbad.
The beach from Oak Avenue to the Oceanside border is under the city’s control and will be closed.
Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s ‘stay at home’ order issued on March 19, all individuals living in the State of California were ordered to stay at home, except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care, or go to an essential job.
While outdoor recreation is still allowed, the order outlines that it’s contingent on maintaining a safe social distance of 6 feet from people who aren’t in the same household.
The City of Carlsbad continues to provide essential services as it manages a comprehensive COVID-19 response effort that has been in the works since late January.
The city has set up a dedicated web page for information about how COVID-19 affects Carlsbad:
www.carlsbadca.gov/COVID19