Vinod Khosla, the Silicon Valley billionaire who locked the gate to some prime California surfing, must allow public access to Martin's Beach, a court ruled on Thursday, turning down perhaps his latest appeal.
In 2008, the business tycoon purchased the 89-acre oceanfront property near Half Moon Bay for $32.5 million, Sky News reported. The area was a popular surfing spot, but in 2010 Khosla closed the only gate allowing public access to Martin’s Beach.
Eventually, five surfers were arrested for trespassing. The case was dropped but, as Business Insider noted, it was enough to prompt The Surfrider Foundation to file a lawsuit against Khosla, saying he had not obtained a permit before locking the gate and claiming he was in violation of the California Coastal Act.
For the next four years a lengthy court battle ensued. On Thursday, beach goers rejoiced when a San Mateo County Superior Court judge ruled that Khosla had to reopen the gates to the public.
Joe Cotchett, an attorney for the Surfrider Foundation, told The Mercury News he believed the public would finally be able to get access to the beach, as they had done for the past 70 years.
“If he doesn’t open it, I will ask the court for a contempt citation, and maybe we’ll have to get the sheriff to put his ass in jail,” he added.
“This is not about closing the gate to your house, or to your backyard. It is closing the gate to an access road, or path, that allowed people for all these years to put their feet in the water, catch fish or go surfing.”
Responding to the ruling, Khosla’s attorney told Sky News he was disappointed and would “consider our options for appealing the ruling.”
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