A conservative and partisan court handed a victory to public access and California's environmental law by refusing to hear an appeal sought by billionaire Vinod Khosla.
"In a significant win for beach access rights in California, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Silicon Valley billionaire’s appeal to keep a beach to himself," reports Rosanna Xia.
The billionaire: Martins Beach in San Mateo County. The billionaire: Vinod Khosla.
"What began as a local dispute over a locked gate has exploded into a cause célèbre for beachgoers across California. The decade-long squabble spurred a spate of lawsuits that zeroed in on whether property owner Vinod Khosla needs state permission to gate off the road."
Much more was risk in the controversy than just one gate and one beach. The U.S. Supreme Court could have potentially overturned the decision of a string of California court decisions, and dismantled the "landmark" California Coastal Act.
Read the full story: U.S. Supreme Court declines to take Martins Beach case — a win for California's landmark coastal access law
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