Administrative Order 20-01
Bruce St. Denis, City Manager May 7th, 2020
In March 2020, because of the conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Cannon Beach declared the City in a state of emergency under state and local law and took protective measures such as evacuating visitors and imposing restrictions on hotels and short term rentals.
In Resolutions 20-09 and 20-10 (and subsequent re-authorizations and re-affirmations), the City Council also delegated authority to the City Manager to take additional protective measures imminently necessary under the circumstances for the protection of life or property to prevent or minimize danger to lives or property.
Despite the City’s protective measures — and despite Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 20-12 “Stay Home, Stay Safe” — the City of Cannon Beach has experienced an increasing influx of visitors defying the state and local restrictions and not practicing safe social distancing, especially on the beaches adjacent to the City. Such actions continue to threaten life and property within the City as set declared in City Resolutions 20-09, 20-10, 20-11, 20-12, 20-14, 20-15, 20-16, 20-17 and 20-19.
As the weather for the upcoming weekend is forecasted as in the high 70 degrees and sunny, it is extremely likely that such ideal beach weather will further entice visitors from the Portland metropolitan areas to visit the beaches adjacent to the City. Exacerbating these concerns, other beaches closest to the Portland metropolitan region — specifically the beaches adjacent to the City of Seasie — have been closed. Such a closure funnels the potential influx of visitors to beaches adjacent to the City of Cannon Beach.
As a result, it is imminently necessary for the protection of life and property to close the beaches adjacent to the City of Cannon Beach. Effective immediately, all beaches adjacent to the City of Cannon Beach are closed to all persons (residents and visitors alike) from 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 9th through May 12th at 7:00 p.m.