The county’s COVID Business Compliance Team has received 26 online complaints since late October against Pacifica Beach Yoga alleging health order violations.
San Mateo County officials announced Thursday it has filed suit to close Pacifica Beach Yoga for repeatedly refusing to comply with state public health orders.
At a hearing Thursday afternoon, Judge Danny Chou granted the county’s request for a temporary restraining order that Pacifica Beach Yoga immediately shut down. A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for Feb. 4, at which time the court will evaluate the need for the injunction.
Violations include holding indoor “mask-free” yoga classes when all indoor gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios are under state health orders to cease operations. The suit also asserts the studio has failed to require staff and patrons to wear face coverings. The owner has refused repeated requests by county staff to voluntarily comply with public health orders, according to the county.
“This business has left us no choice,” San Mateo County Counsel John Beiers said in a press release. “Our community rightly expects that when its state government imposes shelter-in-place laws, those laws will be enforced justly and equitably to ensure that everyone is playing by the same rules. Pacifica Beach Yoga has repeatedly, knowingly and flagrantly decided not to follow the rules that other businesses in this county are following. That is dangerous and cannot be allowed to continue.”
A call to Pacifica Beach Yoga for comment was not returned.
The suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court seeks an order for the studio’s owner to comply with all COVID-19 public health orders and immediately halt all indoor operations until the county is no longer under the current level of state COVID-19 restrictions, as well as to pay accrued fines imposed to encourage compliance, according to the county.
The county’s COVID Business Compliance Team has received 26 online complaints since late October against Pacifica Beach Yoga alleging health order violations.
Following visits and warnings, a county compliance officer issued an initial $250 citation on Nov. 14 and now imposed fines total $3,750, according to the county.
On Aug. 4, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an urgency ordinance to allow enforcement officers designated by the county or cities to issue citations for violating health orders. Entities or individuals can dispute the violation. Pacifica Beach Yoga is the first business the county has sought court action, according to the county.
Due to the pandemic and limited ICU capacity, San Mateo County remains under a Regional Stay-At-Home Order that requires most indoor businesses to shutter and for people to stay home except for essential needs and other limited exceptions.
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