Seal Beach reopens beaches, park with social distancing restrictions

Seal Beach has become the latest Orange County beach to reopen its waterfront on weekends and the city is extending beach hours just in time for the holiday weekend.

The Seal Beach City Council on Wednesday authorized city officials to move into both Phase Two and Phase Three of its "Beach in Motion" reopening plan, and Phase Two of its Gum Grove Nature Park reopening plan.

Starting at dawn Thursday, the beach will be open from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m, seven days a week. Beachgoers will still be required to remain active and no passive use will be allowed.

The First, Eighth, and 10th Street parking lots will also reopen, but beachgoers will be required to park in every other parking stall.

Starting Friday at dawn, the Gum Grove Nature Park will open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week, for active use only. Passive uses such as picnicking, loitering, sitting, standing or stopping are not permitted.

The council approved a three-part plan to reopen the park and its portion of the San Gabriel River Bicycle Path last weekend.

Officials called the latest adjustments part of an adaptive re-opening plan, and said, "each phase will be enacted as warranted and on a trial basis."

CNS contributed to this report.