At any time when conditions become hazardous as a result of storm, congestion of persons, or other conditions which cause a present danger to persons swimming, surfing, or to others using the beach, including the water, the city manager, marine safety chief, or police chief or their authorized designees, or any other officer or employee designated by the city council, may prohibit swimming and surfing with a surfboard, paddleboard, or similar device during the period of such hazardous conditions. No person shall fail, refuse, or neglect to stop swimming or surfing or fail, refuse, or neglect to leave the water when ordered to do so by any such employee of the city.
(Ord. 1729, 4/28/2026)
(a) 
All waters within 200 yards from the shoreline are designated as swimming and surfing areas, except that from June 15th and September 15th, both dates inclusive, of each calendar year, there are designated surfing areas to the exclusion of swimming, unless otherwise therein authorized.
(1) 
The following described areas of the Pacific Ocean are hereby designated as surfing areas, and surfing within said areas only during the daylight hours enumerated below shall be permitted:
(A) 
Area No. 1: That area lying between a point 150 feet south of the southerly extension of Brooks Street and a point 150 feet north of the northerly extension of Brooks Street only during the hours from sunup to sundown;
(B) 
Area No. 2: That area lying between a point 90 feet south of the southerly extension of St. Ann's Drive and a point 200 feet south of the southern extension of Thalia Street only during the hours from sunup to sundown;
(C) 
Area No. 3: That area lying between Victor Hugo's Point and the stairway entrance below Jasmine Street only during the hours from sunup to sundown;
(D) 
Area No. 4: That area lying between a point 125 feet south of the southerly extension of Agate Street and a point 100 feet north of the northerly extension. The hours of surfing to be from sunup until 12:00 p.m. noon and then 5:00 p.m. until sunset;
(E) 
Area No. 5: Surfing and swimming is allowed in Area No. 5. Exception: In Aliso Beach, specifically, a zone for surfing shall be set up from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily through the posting of signs and flags by marine safety department staff or for increased durations as conditions warrant at the determination by marine safety department staff. If a zone for surfing is not set through the posting of signs and flags by marine safety department staff, the surfing area is hereby established at the South end of Aliso Beach from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. between June 15th and September 15th.
(2) 
No person shall wade, bathe, or swim in any surfing area described in subsection (a)(1) at any times when surfing is permitted in such area unless otherwise authorized therein or such person has in his or her possession and is actually using a surfboard, paddleboard, or other similar device.
(3) 
No person shall engage in the activity of surfing from June 15th to September 15th outside of the designated surfing area described in subsection (a)(1) unless the city manager, marine safety chief, police chief, or other employee of the city designated by the city manager to enforce surging regulations and control surfing activities, upon careful evaluation, permits surfing in certain swimming areas as follows through the posting of signs and flags.
(A) 
Whenever surfing or weather conditions make swimming or bathing hazardous in the beach area from a point 150 feet south of the southerly extension of Brooks Street to a point 90 feet south of the southerly extension of St. Ann's Drive; or
(B) 
When relatively few swimmers or bathers are present.
(b) 
No persons shall operate any vessel within swimming and surfing areas except that vessels, other than motorboats, which have been launched from the beach may proceed directly to and from the beach through said designated areas.
(c) 
The launching of any vessels may be prohibited by any police officer or lifeguard at any time it appears to such police officer or lifeguard that such activity would constitute a hazard to persons swimming and surfing in said designated area or to the operators or passengers of said vessels.
(Ord. 1729, 4/28/2026)
At any time when surfing is prohibited within a particular area by virtue of the provisions of this chapter, a yellow flag displaying a black ball shall be raised at or near the subject area so as to be readily visible to all persons within said area.
(Ord. 1729, 4/28/2026)
No person shall use any surfboard, paddleboard, skim-board, ski, canoe, or other similar object made entirely or partially of wood, metal, glass, hard plastic, or any other hard substance, at any time in the Pacific Ocean within the city limits in a manner that constitutes a hazard to any other person.
(Ord. 1729, 4/28/2026)
The violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is punishable as a misdemeanor and the revocation of the license, if any, issued to such violator.
(Ord. 1729, 4/28/2026)