San Diego mayor, police chief, and lifeguard chief go over rules for opening beaches

Officials in the beach cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach say they will not reopen beaches on Monday.

San Diego mayor, police chief, and lifeguard chief go over rules for opening beaches

Volume 90% Author: Monique Griego (Reporter)Published: 2:46 PM PDT April 25, 2020Updated: 6:23 PM PDT April 25, 2020

SAN DIEGO — On Saturday morning in front of a Mission Beach lifeguard tower, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, and San Diego Lifeguard Chief James Gartland went over the rules regarding the lifting of some beach restrictions.

The restrictions are set to be lifted at sunrise on Monday.

Phase 1 of the beach re-opening plan includes restrictions such as no group gatherings, no parking and no lying down to soak up the sun.

“In Phase 1, we get to run, we get to swim, we get to walk on the beach and you get to fish,” Gartland said. “You come to the beach, you get your exercise, then you go back and follow the stay-at-home order.”

Gartland said there is no recreational boating allowed at this time, but it would be part of the Phase 2 plan.

Faulconer praised San Diego residents for following the rules at city parks earlier this week, which has led to Monday’s planned re-opening of beaches.

“San Diegans have done a very good job this past week, with our neighborhood parks, adhering to all the social distancing,” Faulconer said. “It’s going to be incredibly important for Phase 1 that that spirit, cooperation, and adherence transfers over to Phase 1 of the beach openings.”

Nisleit asked that beachgoers on Monday follow the social distancing rules.

“What I need is cooperation,” Nisleit said. “So you will see law enforcement, you’ll see our beach team out here to enforce physical distancing, face coverings.

“The more we do this, the more we can go on to Phase 2,” Nisleit said. “No sitting on the beach and no loitering on the beach. For those that want to refuse, they will be cited. We don’t want to do that, but we need people to adhere to the rules. It allows us to get to Phase 2 and beyond. The better cooperation, the sooner we do that.”

As for the weekend protests, Nisleit said he supports the right to protest, but noted that some beach restrictions will be lifted on Monday, and urged Sunday’s protesters to stay at home and wait one day.

Officials in the beach cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach say they will not reopen beaches on Monday.