Orange County beaches approved for active uses by state

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration approved plans for Orange County to reopen the last of its beaches Thursday after he previously shut them down when a heat wave drove large crowds to the shore.

A regulatory agency approved plans to reopen Capistrano Beach, South Laguna Beach, Salt Creek and Strands Beach.

All 42 miles (67.59 kilometers) of county beaches must follow social distancing guidelines designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The approval allows active recreation such as walking, swimming and surfing but not sunbathing or building sandcastles, the county said in a statement. Some county-run beaches will be open weekday mornings while others will have regular hours.

The approval came after a heated debate among Orange County supervisors about whether to even ask Newsom’s administration for authorization to reopen. Two supervisors opposed the request, saying his decision to close down the county’s beaches was arbitrary. The others said they should seek to restore beach access to aid residents’ physical and mental health.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said the county received approval for a four-phased approach to reopening that “prioritizes public health and safety, while recognizing the importance of outdoor recreation.”

“We want Orange County residents to get back to fully enjoying their beaches as safely and quickly as possible,” she said in a statement.

The state already approved plans by the world-famous surfing mecca of Huntington Beach, along with Newport Beach and others, to reopen for active use.

Newsom announced a week ago he was ordering all Orange County beaches to shut down after a spring heat spell prompted thousands of people to head to the coast, including some from landlocked inland counties and from Los Angeles County, where beaches remain closed.

Orange County is California’s third-most populous county, with more than 3 million residents. It has recorded more than 3,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 66 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.