Sonoma County eyes broader reopening of parks, with some beach time for coast residents

Sonoma County residents may soon be driving to their local parks to play tennis, launch a kayak or ride dirt bikes under a revised order expected to offer significantly greater outdoor recreational opportunities as early as this week.

County supervisors will weigh in Tuesday on the next phase of public access before anticipated action by county Health Officer Sundari Mase that would expand on changes made April 28, when she authorized residents to return to municipal and county parks they could reach on foot or bicycle.

The new proposal would open parking lots so that residents could drive to nearby parks and allow for restrooms to be opened, facilitating longer visits.

Individuals and household groups also would be allowed to engage in “low risk” activities like bocce ball, pickleball, disc golf, volleyball, paddleboarding, canoeing and other outdoor fun that does not require close contact with a large group of people. It also would mean private tennis clubs could permit family groups to play.

Though not specified on its Tuesday agenda, the Board of Supervisors also will discuss the possibility of allowing bike- and walk-in access to Sonoma Coast parks and beaches for the first time in more than seven weeks, said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who represents the area.

Under one scenario, entry would be permitted only before 11 a.m. each day or after 5 p.m.

The midday closure, implemented by Santa Cruz County, is meant to limit the draw for outside visitors while providing some opportunity for coastal residents to get out into public open space, a privilege so far denied them since parks were closed countywide on March 24.

“We do recognize that there are a lot of people who do not live in the coastal zone who really want to access the coast and the beaches,” said Hopkins, a Forestville resident. “I count myself among those people. But this is going to be a phased process.”

Park access, particularly where the coast is concerned, has emerged as a major public issue over the two months that Sonoma County and most of the nation has been sheltering in place to try to reduce the transmission of the novel coronavirus.

People have been encouraged to get outdoors for fresh air and exercise as an antidote to the cooped-up, isolated existence of pandemic life.

But the crush of crowds at public parks and beaches during the first few days of Bay Area stay-at-home orders was so profound that Sonoma County closed down all of its parks days later, and the state closed all state park parking lots.

Though Mase recently authorized some limited use of inland parks, parking lots remained closed, prompting concerns about equity for those in urban areas without easy access to nearby open space, as well as for the disabled, who needed to prearrange visits only to specified parks.

The coast remains completely closed, as well, because of ongoing difficulties keeping visitors from outside the region away. There are also concerns about exposing limited first-responders on the coast to coronavirus by allowing too many people at public beaches, Hopkins said.

Regional Parks Director Bert Whitaker said the phased reopening of parks is predicated on residents’ demonstrated willingness to abide by social distancing requirements.

Since late April, county rangers tracked 5,395 contacts with individual park visitors or groups, most of them greetings or reminders that they needed to carry masks and wear them in instances where physical distancing wasn’t possible, Whitaker said About 614 involved some kind of warning or reminder of the social distancing requirements. There also were 22 parking warnings and 22 parking citations issued.

“The general kind of loose conclusions we’re seeing, in the rangers walking, around is about 90% compliance with social distancing,” Whitaker said. “We’re generally pleased that the public seems to be taking it pretty seriously.”

But county officials are still not prepared to offer complete, unfettered access to local parks.

Organized sporting events would remain prohibited, as would use of playgrounds, picnic areas, campgrounds and other “high-touch” equipment and areas where social distancing is not possible.

In addition, swimming and sunbathing at Russian River public beaches would remain off-limits, as well.

Park officials say the reopening would include use of the car-top boat launch at Lake Ralphine in Howarth Park and at several Russian River launches.

“This really means that Lake Sonoma’s going to open up, too,” said north county Supervisor James Gore.

The reservoir and parkland surrounding it is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, which closed the lake and adjacent open space in March to comply with countywide orders.

The board’s discussion on Tuesday is advisory for Mase, who holds the authority to amend the health order governing park access. It was not clear when she would formalize any agreement made Tuesday, though officials suggested it likely would be within a day or two.

But supervisors, who waived parking fees at regional parks back in March, are being asked to reinstate them so the county system can generate income for enhanced restroom cleaning and personal protective equipment for staff, among other needs.

The parking fees are $7 a day per vehicle, or $69 for an annual park membership fee.

The board also will be asked to approve a two-month extension for existing park passes to make up for the two-month park closure.

Parks are free to walk-in, bike-in or ride-in visitors.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.