Full Notification

City Closes Beach Parking Lots

Manhattan Beach, CA (March 24, 2020) – To protect the health and safety of the Manhattan Beach community, the City has closed all beach parking lots located at El Porto, Bruce’s Beach, and the Manhattan Beach Pier. Residents of Manhattan Beach who hold valid and current residential parking permits for the relevant lots will be permitted to park. 

Closure of these parking lots comes after several days of large numbers of beachgoers coming to the coastline amidst the statewide and countywide measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These measures prohibit gatherings and call for social distancing of non-household members.
 
“I was astounded to see large groups of people gathering this past weekend around beaches across Los Angeles County. In particular, Manhattan Beach experienced similar activity to a hot summer day where throngs of people came out to enjoy the beach, the Strand, basketball and volleyball courts. I’ve repeated that public safety is our number one priority and the City Council will explore all available actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Closing down the beach parking lots is a necessary action to further discourage individuals from gathering at the beaches in an unsafe manner,” said Mayor Richard Montgomery.
 
The City of Manhattan Beach is joining a growing number of agencies that have also closed their beach parking lots, including Santa Monica, the County of Los Angeles and Laguna Beach among others. During the closure, parking meters at impacted lots will display a message advising residents that the parking lot is closed due to the COVID-19 virus, and that only permit holders are allowed to park there. Those without valid parking permits will be subject to parking citations.
 
During this pandemic and the resulting state and county health orders, individuals should stay at home, unless they are going to those businesses that are considered essential, such as grocery stores, medical offices, or banks. It is important that even when going outside of the home, individuals maintain a social distance of six feet and wash hands frequently.

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, the City of Manhattan Beach will continue to provide updates. Information regarding the coronavirus is changing frequently. For accurate and up to date information about COVID-19, please visit DPH’s website, the City’s website, sign up for eNotifications and Nixle public safety alerts, and follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, and Instagram.

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