A judge wouldn’t temporarily block on Friday, May 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order for Orange County’s beaches to shut down, meaning sands along the 42 miles of coast will be off limits this weekend.

Coastal cities, as well as the Center for American Liberty, are challenging the order set out by Newsom on Thursday, April 30, raising questions about who holds ultimate authority to make decisions about coastal access, especially during a health crisis, and whether Newsom’s action against just a slice of the California coast was unfair.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Nathan Scott denied a request for a temporary restraining order brought by Huntington Beach and Dana Point and set a hearing for May 11.

Dana Point officials said late Friday afternoon that during the court hearing, staff received a request from the state to participate in a call to develop a plan to reopen beaches in Orange County that will be submitted to the state over the weekend.

Dana Point leaders are hopeful the plan will satisfy the state, making further court action unnecessary, the city’s release said.

In his daily news conference on Friday, Newsom said this weekend’s behavior could dictate changes as early as next week.

“If we have the kind of weekend I hope and expect we will, where we don’t see those crowds descend, we’re going to be in a position, as early as Monday or Tuesday, I hope, to announce new partnerships and strategies we’re working on in real time to addressed these large crowds,” he said.

But what would hold back any changes would be the spread of the coronavirus.

“The only thing that is assured to advance the spread of the virus is thousands of people congregating together not practicing social distancing or physical distancing,” he said. “If we can avoid that, we can get to the other side of this with modifications a lot quicker. I just hope people will consider that.”