By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
As weather improves, Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers says deputies will gradually step up enforcement of people trying to get to the beach through closed federal, state or county access points.
While the beach is open to people, public access points – federal, state, county or city parks and day-use areas – are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crossing through them to reach a beach is against emergency state orders and could result in a citation and fine of up to $1,250.
But other access points to the beach – many pullouts along U.S. Highway 101, city or county roads, or via businesses like motels – are open.
Landers told Lincoln County commissioners this week that deputies and Oregon State Police are first using “education” to let people know they are parking at or walking through closed public areas. That includes parking in front of barriers at state or local parks.
Landers said if people don’t do a better job of staying away from public access points or come back after a warning, then officers will start writing citations.
Landers told commissioners that last weekend the area from Beverly Beach to Fogarty Beach between Depoe Bay and Lincoln City was a particularly popular spot for people getting to the beach. There is a mix of closed and open access spots along that stretch of Highway 101.
“As warmer weather has arrived, we have seen increases in visitors to our area and instances of disregard to closed off areas and social distancing requirements,” Sanders said later in a news release. “Should this continue, our deputies will be faced with taking enforcement action against those who fail to comply with the restrictions outlined in the Governor’s order as well as Lincoln County Order #3-23-85.”
Oregon State Parks and Recreation is taking a similar approach, said Dylan Anderson, who manages state parks from Newport to Yachats. The goal of state parks, he said, is to keep people from traveling to the coast to use a state-owned access point.
“We’re still in the education part of enforcement,” Anderson said. “We’re not going to be out issuing citations … but we do have things in our tool box if there’s people destroying barriers or repeatedly going into closed areas.”
During Monday’s commission meeting Landers pushed back on questions by Commissioner Claire Hall, who advocated for a more aggressive stance on ticketing people using closed, public beach access points. Hall said it was “the biggest single issue” of many people she had seen on social media.
“Why not be more aggressive?” she asked.
Landers said that his policy is that talking to people and “education” was the best first step to enforcement and that the great majority of people cooperate with deputies. Citations, the sheriff said, would only be used for repeat offenders.
On Wednesday, Hall – who is running for re-election – posted on her Facebook page that deputies are “ready to start bringing the hammer down harder on people who aren’t following guidelines on social distancing and sheltering in place.”
The post, which overstated Landers’ comments to commissioners, drew hundreds comments from people agreeing or disagreeing with the statement.
Later, Commission Chair Kaety Jacobson went on the county’s You Tube channel to remind people of the rules against using closed, public access points to reach the beach. She also said people need to be sure they have permission to used private access points in neighborhoods or at businesses “otherwise it’s considered trespassing.”