San Mateo County Court Judge Barbara Mallach has ruled against Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla in a lawsuit over public access to Martin’s Beach.
According to the ruling, Khosla will be required to seek a permit from the California Coastal Commission before locking gates at the beach, as well as to consult with the community to determine changes to the property and public access to the beach.
— Venture Beat
The secluded Martin's Beach in San Mateo County has been a cherished spot for locals for decades. When Khosla purchased his 53-acre property there in 2008, he locked the gate to the beach, closing off public access. This is just one example of a long history of wealthy property owners trying to privatize beaches. But in the state of California, everything below the mean tide line is public. Still, since access paths sometimes have to be maintained by adjacent property owners, things tend to get complicated.
A few months ago, we posted about the case as it was developing. We mentioned the LA Rangers, an awesome group of urban vigilantes who lead tours on how to access beaches that have – often illegally – been marked as private. Check out their work here.
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