Trespass Picnic on Martin’s Beach Part 2

A deadline looms on the fate of public access to Martin’s Beach.

For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, Martin’s Beach, heaven on earth just south of Half Moon Bay, was closed to cars in 2008 after Sun Microsystems co-founder and modern day Darth Vader Vinod Khosla bought it, ignoring a 1972 California Coastal Zone Conservation Initiative making coastal lands public property. In response, the Surfrider Foundation sued Khosla for violating the California Coastal Act, and it’s been in the courts since then.

The Food Party! field-triped out there last year. First time for moi. It was quite an adventure. Anyone remember Tanned and Tatted?

Also in 2014, we have Senator Jerry Hill to thank for bringing California Senate Bill 968 into law, requiring the California State Lands Commission to enter into negotiations with Khosla and reach an agreement to create a public access road to the beach.

And here’s the urgency. If no agreement is reached by January 1, 2016, the commission may acquire a right-of-way or easement by eminent domain.

So now’s the time to give a shout out to the State Lands Commissioners and let them know you care about maintaining public access to the site because, well, it is one of the best places around to have a Food Party!, or just enjoy the view.

Email the State Lands Commissioners at CSLC.CommissionMeetings@slc.ca.gov

If you haven’t picnicked on Martin’s Beach, take your leftover turkey and do it over the holiday. Though I never actually made it in Trespass Picnic on Martin’s Beach – part one, I have returned since then. The gate was closed, but we just walked over it and down the road. The county has decided not to bring trespassing charges for crossing Khosla’s property to get to the beach that belongs to us all.

So here’s to a swell holiday. May you boogie long and prosper in 2016.