Frequent defiance of social distancing requests leads to fencing and additional Santa Barbara costs

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A truckload of fencing has arrived at Skater's Point in Santa Barbara to seal off an area that was posted as "closed" last week, but used frequently for several days. This is part of the effort to reduce social contact by groups during the coronavirus crisis.

MarBorg Industries installed fencing around the facility on Cabrillo Boulevard around 8 a.m. reporting that their yellow tape was taken down during a previous effort to prevent access.

Two skaters were already in the facility at the time of the new security effort.

This new fencing installation will come at an additional cost to the city at a time when 400 workers are being laid off due to a financial crisis that is unfolding.

There have been numerous examples of people defying city requests, and advice all the way up to the White House, to avoid close personal contact over the last week.

NewsChannel 3 has shown several sites including school grounds, parks, beaches and recreational areas where groups have gathered for sports. 

City leaders say they are not closing areas off for personal exercise, and have encouraged it during this time of the "stay at home" order. Individuals or families together is not a violation, and they are not upset about that activity.

A recent report about a school being used has led to nets coming down on basketball courts and soccer goals being relocated.

There's also been a widespread range of comments on social media pages about the violation of the spacing rules and the risks medical officials have said could come to family members and the community at large.