San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Barbara Mallach recently ruled that property owner Vinod Khosla had acted in violation of the California Coastal Act by eliminating access to Martins Beach, a favorite for fishing, surfing, and picnicking for over 75 years.
The saga began when Kholsa purchased the property in 2008. After being warned by San Mateo County and Coastal Commission officials that closure of the beach would require permits, Khosla went ahead and locked the gates, erected “No Trespassing” signs and hired security forces anyway, blocking people from accessing the beach across a road that intersects Highway 1 and bisects his property.
Attorneys representing the Surfrider Foundation argued the case for public access to Martins Beach using the judicial system, and the court’s verdict is clear — Khosla must obtain permits if he wants to eliminate public beach access.
Khosla, meanwhile, still continues to block beach access with a lock on the gate. While he has written to the Coastal Commission stating an intent to allow access, he seems to feel he can open the gate whenever he wants, or not at all. Surfrider Foundation members have noticed the gate to be open only three or four times over the past two weeks, at odd times, and generally not more than four hours in any day. Khosla is demanding payment of $10 for simple pedestrian access. He even filed new motions last week accusing users of Facebook and other social media of “criminal threats” for refusal to pay random fee amounts and/or the simple taking of photographs of the beach!
The Surfrider Foundation will continue to work hard to ensure the judge’s decision is carried out. Out of respect for our system of laws and the due process inherent in our court system, if a lock is to be found on the gate it should be removed immediately. If any coastal landowner wants to eliminate public access, they should obtain permits from the California Coastal Commission under the California Coastal Act. That is the law, enacted by California voters in 1972 and no one is above it, no matter how wealthy or politically connected they are. Beach access belongs to us all. Check out the Sentinel article here!
