California Coastal Commission penalizes Malibu homeowners for obscuring access to 'hidden' beach [View all]
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/malibu-beach-access-blocking-penalized-18145060.php#
California Coastal Commission penalizes Malibu homeowners for obscuring access to hidden beach
Silas Valentino, SFGATE
June 12, 2023
An aerial shot features homes along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. Escondido Beach in Malibu will open to the public after decades of legal action that pitted state agencies against wealthy homeowners.
trekandshoot/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The public will have better access to a beach in Southern California thats noted for secrecy following a 40-year effort from state agencies to untangle a labyrinthine legal history created by wealthy homeowners to block beach access.
The California Coastal Commission and California State Coastal Conservancy collaborated to open access to Escondido Beach in Malibu coincidentally Spanish for hidden beach. The beach is located in a highly popular area near the famous Paradise Cove and Point Dume.
On Wednesday, the commission approved an agreement with the two current homeowners that will ultimately force them to build both a public access way to the beach and a parking lot, estimated to cost several million dollars, plus pay a fine for the violations.
The neighboring properties are currently owned by Frank Mancuso, a former film studio executive for Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and the heirs of Don Wildman, who founded the now-defunct chain Bally Total Fitness. Wildman died in 2018, and the property passed to his family.
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