View of the empty Sid Snyder Drive beach approach on April 2, 2020. 

PACIFIC COUNTY — County and city beach approaches in Pacific County are not reopening on May 4. 

At a meeting of the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency on April 29, mayors from Pacific County cities as well as the Pacific County Board of Commissioners pushed the discussion of reopening local beach approaches and hospitality lodging to nearer May 18; this mirrors the City of Ocean Shores’ decision to extend its beach approach closure order to that date.

Because the county wants to be collaborative with other coastal communities on when to reopen, Pacific County Board of Commissioners Chairman Frank Wolfe said Pacific County will revisit the discussion about a week ahead of May 18.

“I would go along with May 18, and that is in quotes because it’s kind of a soft squishy thing,” Wolfe said. “What I’m saying is that the majority is in favor of collaborating with Grays Harbor and not necessarily following in lock step but waiting until they have indicated that they are going to put a date on the calendar and then we get together and discuss.” 

“It may be that they decide to extend it beyond May 18 and we end up point blank saying we’re ready to open, so, we’ll see what happens,” Wolfe added.

On whether the county would oppose Washington State Parks reopening Cape Disappointment, elected officials seemed to leave the decision to state parks, but did not voice uniformed opposition to the idea.