The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors issued a statement Tuesday clarifying the controversial ball- and Frisbee-throwing ordinance passed last week. With the ordinance, the LA County (LAC) Board of Supervisors had banned Frisbees, balls and several other beach games for the entire summer. The statement explained, however, that the decision ought to actually increase safe, legal beach activities.
According to the statement, “The new ordinance lifts a decades-old, all-out ban on playing football, Frisbee and other ball on the beach.” The decades-old ban actually prohibited the playing of ball completely. It threatened violators with a $1,000 fine. But officials say the ordinance was seldom enforced and a citation for a rule violation has never been written. Many beachgoers were oblivious that any such ordinance was ever in existence.
The new ordinance applies only to county beaches during the summer months. Los Angeles County beaches attract 50 to 70 million visitors a year and county officials are concerned about keeping people safe.
“The purpose was to actually create some guidelines so that more of these activities [ball playing] could occur,” said Carol Baker, the board’s media contact. For practical reasons, the ordinance needed to be issued as a safety precaution.
For example, said Baker, it would not be appropriate to play a game of beach football when a 3-year-old’s birthday party was taking place 10 feet away.
But, if the beach is not too packed, beachgoers can ask for permission from the lifeguard to partake in a game of Frisbee or beach ball activity.
Beachgoers are allowed to throw a Frisbee or football on LA County beaches — but only during off-peak beach season. However, for public safety reasons, lifeguards retain the authority to stop a game. If the violator does not comply, the lifeguard can issue a citation during summer months. County officials say past injuries have been reported.
If the ball-playing code is violated, there are three stages of punishment. For a first violation, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $100. For a second violation within one year, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $200. For each additional violation within one year, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $500.
During a press conference, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said Frisbee and ball playing are OK as long as people play safely.
