Vinod Khosla, the California billionaire who made news earlier this year for blocking access to a public beach, had his day in court.
A "written ruling issued by Superior Court Judge Barbara Mallach means venture capitalist Vinod Khosla must reopen the gate to popular Martins Beach, a crescent-shaped inlet 5 miles south of Half Moon Bay," reports Peter Fimrite.
Khosla, a Sun Microsystem co-founder, made news earlier this year when the Surfrider Foundation sued under the California Coastal Act, which requires public access to the state's beaches. According to Fimrite, Khosla had "closed the only public access gate in September 2010, citing the high cost of maintenance and liability insurance."
Although the ruling might seem like a victory for the general public over a selfish wealthy interest, Khosla also got off relatively easy. According to the ruling, "Khosla must apply for a coastal development permit if he wants to close the gate or make other changes to the property." And "[the] judge could have fined Khosla $15,000 a day for every day the gates were shut, but she waived all fines."
FULL STORY: Billionaire must let public access Martins Beach, judge rules

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Florida Home Insurers Disproportionately Dropping Low-Income Households
Non-renewal rates are highest in inland counties, not the coastal areas most immediately vulnerable to storms.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont