Full Notification

PALOS VERDES ESTATES CLOSES BLUFF AREAS TO HELP SLOW SPREAD OF COVID-19

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Beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2020, bluff areas between the roadway and cliff along Paseo Del Mar in the City of Palos Verdes Estates will be closed.  Parking will also be prohibited on the cliff side of Paseo Del Mar adjacent to open bluffs.  The closures are at the direction of the Acting City Manager in accordance with the Emergency Powers granted to the City Manager through the Proclamation of the Existence of a Local Emergency.

This decision to close the bluffs comes after much contemplation, review of facts, and the ever-changing guidance from health officials.  The bluffs are a special and revered part of Palos Verdes Estates.  They are a place where people go, residents and visitors alike, to enjoy the scenery, reflect and seek solace.  The City’s purpose in not initially closing the bluffs was to try to manage the situation, allow police to observe behavior to determine compliance with social distancing orders and, foremost, to allow the public to enjoy the bluffs during this unprecedented time when people need to get out and seek fresh air and respite from the chaos this pandemic is causing. 

This action was also supported by the County Health Department’s specific provision in their March 27th order, which stated, “Persons may continue to use currently open and publicly available park space, not prohibited by this Order, for passive recreational activities, while practicing social distancing.”   Unfortunately, based on police data not all those visiting the bluffs are doing this.   Since Saturday, the police department had 134 proactive incidents with officers, 52 responses to complaints by callers (not all were violations of the Order) and issued 25 parking tickets. Yesterday, the police cited six people for violation of the Order of being on closed trails or beaches.  Today, officers issued seven more citations for people hiking the trails down to the beach.

Guidance from County Health and State officials continues to get more stringent. For example, the State is now issuing guidance on wearing of cloth face masks (HERE).  This is because there is growing evidence suggesting people can spread the virus when they are pre-symptomatic, do not know they are infected or perhaps are carriers that never fall ill.  The City continues to be proactive in managing this ever-changing situation.

Ideally, it would have been terrific to allow free access to the bluffs and provide the community an area of respite during this time; however, new cases of COVID-19 continue to be reported every day and the City must do its part to “flatten the curve.”  Sadly, this means closing the bluff areas.