Port Hueneme reopens beach to the public

PORT HUENEME, Calif. - The City of Port Hueneme announced that it has decided to Hueneme Beach after its temporary closure for COVID-19 concerns.

The City of Port Hueneme Defense and Disaster Council made the decision to close the beach on April 1.

The city said this "soft reopening" of the beach is contingent upon everyone who visits the beach and their adherence to physical distancing guidelines and restrictions. How well the community is able to follow these guidelines will play a part in whether the city will keep the beach open.

The city said visitors must still wear a face mask when going to the beach or being outside in general due to the chances of spreading COVID-19 without symptoms.

Chief Salinas with the Port Hueneme Police Department said, “This will be a slow rollout. If beachgoers can follow social distancing guidelines and these new beach restrictions, we will not need to reinstate another beach closure. We really don't want to do this. We understand how important exercise is to everyone's mental health, but we have to protect the health of our community. This is a pathway back to normal life but we must self-regulate and respect these new limitations. We are asking everyone to please be patient.”

The city encourages residents to go outside and use the beach for exercise and fresh air, but not for gathering.

The following activities are allowed on Hueneme Beach: walking, running, exercise, surfing, biking, swimming, and other uses that require physical activity. However, none of these activities can be done in groups.

Some items are also not allowed on beaches in order to further discourage gathering. These include blankets, chairs, coolers, umbrellas and tents.

The pier, picnic areas, restrooms and playground equipment will continue to be closed.

Street parking also remains closed to discourage people from arriving at the beach in groups.

For more information, you can visit www.PortHuenemeEmergency.org.