Sonoma County holiday destinations brace for influx amid pandemic, beach lot closures

With state beach parking closed on the Sonoma Coast and throughout the Bay Area this Fourth of July weekend because of coronavirus concerns, law enforcement, businesses and residents near the Russian River are bracing for an influx of pleasure seekers.

With sunny, warm days in the forecast, a festive holiday and pent-up demand to get out of the house, this Fourth of July may be the busiest day in months for some of Sonoma County’s tourist hot spots.

“I’m sure it will get pretty crazy,” said Amy Covin, owner of Amy’s Wicked Slush along the Russian River in Healdsburg across from Memorial Beach. “We are expecting a pretty big weekend in the best possible way. It’s all hands on deck.”

Covin said her staff has become “the fastest pivoters in the history of the pandemic,” quickly painting stripes for drive-up service and now creating a slush garden – “like a beer garden but with slushes.”

But with the rush of traffic can come chronic problems, including congestion and close contact made all the more problematic by the pandemic.

Some locals fear Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to block vehicles from entering state-managed beach parking lots along the Sonoma Coast starting Friday and spanning the holiday weekend will further exacerbate those problems, placing an extra burden on the first responders and residents near the water.

Patty Ginochio, co-owner of Ginochio's Kitchen restaurant off Highway 1 in Bodega Bay, said her primary concern heading into the holiday weekend was how the removal of state beach parking spaces would impact traffic on Highway 1, where congestion from drivers slowing down to find a place to park could delay rescue teams responding to calls for help on the coast.

With Newsom’s notice about the parking lot closures coming only two days prior to taking effect, she was also concerned that not every family who plans to visit the area will know about the restricted vehicle access to state beaches.

“We’ve never had this situation before so we don’t know what the impact will be,” Ginochio said. “But what we’ve seen, even when the beaches are closed, we’ve still had an influx of people going to the beach in Bodega Bay.”

Sgt. Juan Valencia of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said patrol deputies will work hand-in-hand with state and county park rangers and the California Highway Patrol to respond to any problems that might arise along the waterways or in parks.

“We want people to practice social distancing and be safe and have a fun, safe Fourth, but given everything that’s going on, be responsible,” he said. “We want people to be safe and use common sense and be adults.

“If you’re drinking alcohol, don’t go in the water,” he said.

Or, he suggested, maybe stay home and enjoy the holiday with family: “Don’t even go there, knowing it’s going to be crowded, just avoid it.”

Those heading to the coast – or anywhere on a state highway – should abide by traffic laws because the CHP will be out in force.

The CHP will be conducting a maximum enforcement period, which it often does on busy holidays when folks are on the road visiting friends and family.

“This might be a little different with the pandemic, but we’re ready for whatever comes our way,” Officer David deRutte said.

Extra patrols begin Friday evening and ends Sunday night.

“We’ll be enforcing everything, of course DUI and speed, like always,” he said. “We’ll be spread out all over and have extra units working.”

If an area – like Highway 1 at the coast – becomes a hot spot with clogged roads or parked cars obstructing traffic, officers will respond.

Liz Martin, board president of the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District, shared Ginochio’s concerns, saying just last weekend firefighters spent 30 minutes to respond to a call for help about 2 miles away due to traffic jams along their route.

Overall, the summer thus far seems busier than others she can recall. She attributes the surge to a mixture of factors, among them an appetite for the outdoors following weeks of isolation and limited social contact.

“People have no where else to go and they’ve been cooped up in their homes,” Martin said. “I understand people are dying for normalcy but it’s like, don’t all come out here at once.”

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.