December 7th, a lawsuit was dismissed that alleged that the California Coastal Commission does not have the right to require property owners to allow public access near their beachfront homes.
The suit, brought by David Geffen of entertainment recording fame sought to keep people off the beach in front of his home.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Yaffe ruled that the September decision by California’s Coastal Commission requiring at least a dozen public pedestrian walkways along Malibu’s 27 miles of coast was within the scope of the Commission’s authority. However, the judge’s decision does not neccesarily mean the end of the case as also agreed to hear arguments on two administrative issues.
This ruling is important from AW’s perspective because it upholds the right of public access to California’s coast and secures a precedent of access to navigable waters across private property. While the ruling may not dirctly transfer to inland waters, it generally supports our interests and may come into play for whitewater enthusiasts at a future date.