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Snooty Beachfront Homeowners Who Block Beach Access To Us Commoners Will Be Fined
Oceanfront homeowners who have been putting up illegal gates and phony signs to keep the hoi polloi from public beaches could finally be punished.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law on Friday allowing the California Coastal Commission to slap those homeowners with a fine. And if you think that a fine wouldn't upset the wealthy, the state agency could possibly put a lien on the homeowners' property if they fail to pay the fine, KTLA reported. It was a last-minute amendment tacked onto the $108 billion state budget package.
Prior to this law, the only way the Coastal Commission was able to do anything about this was to file lawsuits against the homeowners, according to Westside Today. And because there were so many cases, they would be backlogged and the homeowners could get away with what they were doing.
While the homeowners have complained that beach-goers have left trash and urinated near their homes, others feel that it's pretty just since it's illegal to block access to public beaches.
“I think they should be fined," beach-goer Darya Fesechka told KTLA. "Everybody should be able to visit it."
However, if a homeowner is fined by the Coastal Commission, the case could still be reviewed by a court.
And if you're unsure about which signs you see at Malibu Beach are fake or real, you can download the free "Our Malibu Beaches" app that helps you figure that out.
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