California Renews Assault On Private Property For Beach Access

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By Tim Pearce

California wants to seize 6.4 acres of private land to guarantee public access to a secluded stretch of beach south of Half Moon Bay, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Tech billionaire Vinod Khosla bought 90 acres of beachfront property in 2008, including a road that leads from the highway down to the beach. He locked the gate to the road, posted “Do Not Enter” signs and hired security guards to keep intruders out, The Sacramento Bee reports.

State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) introduced Senate Bill 42 on June 22, which would allow the State Lands Commission to set up a $1 million fund specifically for Khosla’s 6.4 acres of property.

The bill would also “permit the commission to acquire the right-of-way or easement necessary for the creation of that public access route.”

Current California law doesn’t authorize the State Lands Commission to use eminent domain in instances of “public trust” lands, or access to California’s waterways. Instead, the commission must negotiate with the landowner.

Khosla wants $30 million for an easement where he retains ownership but the state has a say in how the land is used. California has priced an easement at $360,000. Khosla justified his high price claiming $30 million is necessary for opening the road, providing bathrooms and paying employees, the Wall Street Journal reports.

This isn’t the first time California has attempted to seize Khosla’s property. In 2014, a bill similar to Hill’s was introduced to authorize the State Land Commission to use imminent domain, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal. The bill never made it into law, however.