By Peter Fimrite Published 3:44 pm, Wednesday, September 24, 2014
The billionaire owner of a beach near Half Moon Bay who provoked a bitter dispute when he cut off access to the sandy haven must let the public back in, a San Mateo County judge ruled Wednesday.The written ruling issued by Superior Court Judge Barbara Mallach means venture capitalist Vinod
Khosla paid $32.5 million in 2008 for the property, which includes 45 leased cabins along the coastal cliffs. He closed the only public access gate in 2011, citing the high cost of maintenance and liability insurance. The non-profit Surfrider Foundation sued last year, arguing that the sandy shoreline had been open to all comers since at least 1918 and belonged to the public.
The beach battle has focused national attention on California laws that are supposed to guarantee public access to coastal areas. The 1972 California Coastal Zone Conservation Initiative, which created the 12-member California Coastal Commission, and the California Coastal Act, passed in 1976, prohibit homes or developments from blocking access to beaches. They essentially make the entire coast, including all beach property below the mean high tide line, public property.
Lawyers for Surfrider claimed Khosla had to apply for a coastal development permit to close the gate and make other changes to the property. They were asking for millions of dollars in penalties.
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Posted by Steve Sinai
7 comments:
That's an awful picture. And really funny.
It's a federal. of course he has to!
What would happen if, lets say the road is ignored and the weeds take over?
Or better yet, Khosla has a pair of pet tigers roaming the gated property?
The next big court case is Loeb and boner are thrown out of court
I hope the nimbys are proud of themselves.
Anon 8:08 Khosla is the biggest NIMBY of them all - or are you that dense?
946 Yeah, 808 can't even float.
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