Del Mar draws a line in the sand
No More Digging to China at Del Mar Beach
If you were planning to spend a lazy Sunday letting the kids dig an epic hole in the sand at Del Mar Beach, you better get your shoveling in before March — because the city just made it illegal.
On February 3, the Del Mar City Council voted unanimously to ban the digging of holes two feet or deeper on its beaches, and the new rules take effect next month. The ordinance also prohibits burying people under the sand, leaving holes unattended regardless of depth, and dumping garbage in the sand. New signage will go up around the beach, and violators can face fines.
City officials say the move is about safety — and they have a point. According to a council agenda report, staff and community members observed a rise in hazardous holes being dug along the heavily used shoreline. The concerns include collapse hazards, trip-and-fall risks, potential suffocation, and holes that make it harder for lifeguards and emergency vehicles to navigate the sand. Anyone who has watched a lifeguard truck race across a packed summer beach knows that last one is no joke.
Del Mar is not breaking new ground here, so to speak. Imperial Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach have all adopted similar ordinances in recent years.
Not everyone is thrilled. Beach regulars with kids say there is something bittersweet about putting official limits on one of the most classic childhood beach activities around. But the city has drawn the line at the two-foot mark, which still leaves plenty of room for some solid sandcastle-level excavation.
So grab a shovel and enjoy March. Just keep it shallow.
Sources: NBC San Diego | San Diego Union-Tribune | City of Del Mar