Pacifica Municipal Code Art. 2 Special Use Area Restrictions for Boats and Vessels

The ordinance codified in this article is adopted pursuant to the police powers of the City and the statutory authority conferred upon local governments to regulate boats and vessels set out in Sections 268 and 660 of the Harbors and Navigation Code.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

It is the purpose of this article to adopt appropriate regulations for the use of Pacifica's beaches and ocean in order to promote the public safety, health and welfare, to reduce the risk of injury to all types of recreational users, to minimize the adverse impacts of noise, fumes and pollutants upon beach users and the beach environment, to minimize user conflicts between recreational uses at Pacifica's beaches and to resolve in a reasonable manner competing recreational demands on limited beach facilities so as to promote the enjoyment of Pacifica's beaches for all and to protect the natural resources, recreational values, beauty and tranquility of Pacifica's beaches, while guaranteeing appropriate access to all types of users.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

For the purposes of this article, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases are defined as follows:

(a) "Motorized vessel" shall mean any boat or vessel whose principal means of propulsion is by an internal combustion, electrical or mechanical engine, either inboard or outboard.

(b) "Personal watercraft" is any motorized vessel which has an internal combustion engine powering a water-jet pump or a fully-covered propeller chamber as its primary source of motor propulsion and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on the vessel rather than the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. The term shall include those vessels commonly known as "Jet Skis," "Wet Bikes," "Surf Jets" and "Sea-Doo."

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

(a) Pacifica State Beach and Rockaway Beach.

(1) "Pacifica State Beach" as used in this article shall mean that sandy beach which occurs between the Headlands and the northern slopes of Pedro Point, which is more specifically defined as that area inshore of a line which connects the most oceanward point of the end of the Headlands southwesterly to the most oceanward point of Shelter Cove Point, as set forth on the attached special use area map which is incorporated by this reference.

(2) "Rockaway Beach" as used in this article shall mean that sandy beach which occurs between the northern slopes of the Headlands and the southerly slopes of the Quarry, which is more specifically defined as that area inshore of a line which connects the most northerly point of the sandy beach southwesterly to the most oceanward point of the Headlands, as set forth on the attached special use area map which is incorporated by this reference.

(3) Pacifica State Beach and Rockaway Beach are hereby designated as special use areas in which the following special use area regulations shall apply:

(i) No person shall launch, use or operate any personal watercraft at Pacifica State Beach or Rockaway Beach, nor within the waters immediately adjacent to and within the limits of said beaches.

(b) Speed zones. No person shall operate any motorized vessel, including personal watercraft, at a speed in excess of five (5) miles per hour within 200 feet of any other Pacifica beach being used by bathers, nor within 100 feet of any person engaged in bathing, surfing, wading, or other recreational ocean use not involving a motorized vessel.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

No person shall store or park any motorized vessel or vessel trailer on any public beach, nor place, leave or store any motorized vessel or vessel trailer on private property without the express consent of the owner.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

The regulations of this article shall not apply to:

(a) Any vessel owned, operated or controlled by the United States or by a State agency;

(b) Any vessel engaged in bona fide emergency or rescue operations or other operations conducted solely to protect public safety and health.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)

Any person who violates the provisions of this article shall be guilty of an infraction which shall be punishable as set forth in Section 1-2.01 of this Code.

(§ 3, Ord. 551-C.S., eff. April 25, 1990)