Wealthy property owners on California’s coastline have been relentless in their efforts to keep the common people away from the beaches fronting their expensive real estate. California law is explicit that beaches are public. Regardless of the law, beachfront owners believe they are the rightful owners and do what they can to deny access to hoi polloi. Two owners have received a setback as the California Coastal Commission fined them more than $5.1 million for blocking access to the beaches at Malibu.
After fighting for nine years, Warren and Henny Lent were penalized $4.2 million for “diverting a public easement to private use.” Simon and Daniel Mani, owners of the Malibu Beach Inn received a $200,000 fine and were ordered to build required stairways to the beach, install a $425,000 crosswalk with signals and pay $300,000 to a local conservation agency.
Meanwhile, up north at half Moon Bay, near San Francisco, is considering using eminent domain for the first time in its 78-year history. Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla is demanding $30 million to reopen access to Martin’s Beach. He closed access after purchasing the fronting property in 2008.
