After a sunny hot weekend that drove beach goers to Gloucester, beach parking lots will be closed to non-residents this weekend, city officials announced Tuesday night.

Reports of excessive traffic from residents prompted the closures that will be in place on July 18 and 19, according to a joint statement by the City of Gloucester, the Gloucester Health Department, and the Department of Public Works.

The last thing we want to do is close our parking lots to visitors, but our City was had an influx of traffic this past weekend, Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said in the statement. We need to reduce the amount of traffic, which is a challenge we face every year but has certainly been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

City staff will be working at Stage Fort Park, Good Harbor Beach, and Wingaersheek Beach parking lots to ensure non-residents do not park there, the statement said.

Romeo Theken said people who are looking to go outside after staying at home for months, along with limits placed on travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have made traffic worse for Gloucester residents.

It isnt a sustainable situation for our residents, she said.

Additionally, high tide is expected to take place early in the day at 10:21 a.m. Saturday and 11:07 a.m. Sunday, reducing the area of beach available for visitors, according to the statement.

Residents can get access to the parking lots with a 2020 beach sticker, a 2019 beach sticker, or a license and registration with a Gloucester address, the statement said.

Beaches in Gloucester are currently open to a limited number of non-residents on weekdays. Visitors are still allowed to park at public beach parking lots on weekdays, the statement said.

Visitors are asked to maintain at least 12 feet between toweling and blanket areas, according to the statement.

Gloucester officials will announce next week whether or not the parking lots will be open to non-residents for the weekend of July 25 and July 26, the statement said.

Andrew Stanton can be reached at andrew.stanton@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewstanton.

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Gloucester beach parking lots to be closed to non-residents this weekend - The Boston Globe