by Bob Walsh
A really interesting legal action has been moving thru the courts with relation to Martins Beach, a very pretty spot near Half Moon Bay on the California Coast. Within the next few months it seems that SCOTUS will actually make the decision.
Nobody is apparently disputing the fact that gazillionair Vinod Khosla owns the beach and the surrounding property. The question is can he restrict access to his own property.
He bought the property ten years ago for a paltry $32.5 million. He shut off access eight years ago, citing maintenance and liability issues. The previous owners had permitted public access for about 70 years.
About four years ago a San Mateo County Judge said that Khosla should have obtained a permit from the California Costal Commission before closing off access. The CCC is a bunch of radical idiots who have been known to deny permits to people to rebuilt houses that have burned down in areas they claim control over. The state supreme court has denied a hearing on the issue.
Khosla has offered to open the land if the state pays $30 million for the easement.
It will be an interesting ruling no matter which way it goes.
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