San Clemente city councilors approved an ordinance on June 20 to change the city’s beach hours, now closing at 10 p.m. daily instead of midnight. The beaches will reopen at 4 a.m. as usual.
The council also voted 4–1—with Mayor Chris Duncan opposed—to hire a private security firm to assist law enforcement in maintaining public safety, including monitoring beaches and tourism areas.
Both decisions come after complaints of the homeless camping on the city’s beaches causing safety concerns for some residents and families, and teenagers launching fireworks, fighting, and taking drugs in the evening hours.
The city made national headlines over Memorial weekend when three off-duty marines were attacked by a group of teenagers, which some say could have been prevented with private security….