A California court has ordered a Silicon Valley billionaire to restore access to a beloved beach that he closed off for his private use, a major victory for public lands advocates who have been fighting the venture capitalist for years. But Khosla eventually bought the property and in 2010 closed public access, putting up signs warning against trespassing. The law in California states that all beaches should be open to the public up to the “mean high tide line”. The decision this week, affirming a lower court ruling, stems from a lawsuit filed by the Surfrider Foundation, a not-for-profit group that says the case could have broader implications for beach access across the US. In October, Khosla also sued two state agencies, accusing the government of using “coercion and harassment” to infringe on his private property rights.

Source: The Guardian August 10, 2017 21:33 UTC