Malibu homeowner accused of stealing sand has done so before, coastal commission says

Because the Milwaukee Brewers start their playoff run, the crew’s proprietor, Mark Attanasio, is embroiled in a authorized battle again in California revolving round one of many state’s most treasured sources: sand.

In August, Attanasio’s neighbor filed a lawsuit accusing the businessman of stealing sand from Malibu’s Broad Seaside and carrying it again to his property as a part of a building challenge to restore a broken seawall.

Now, the California Coastal Fee is getting in on the motion.

The fee despatched Attanasio’s lawyer Kenneth Ehrlich a discover of violation in September, claiming that contractors engaged on Attanasio’s seashore home illegally excavated sand and operated heavy equipment inside state tidelands.

The fee additionally mentioned the development challenge impaired public entry to the seashore, depleted the seashore’s sand and threatened hurt to marine sources.

The discover, which demanded a response by Oct. 7, requested Attanasio to cease any unpermitted improvement and likewise resolve the violations, which may embody a financial settlement.

It’s not the primary time Attanasio has been cited by the Coastal Fee for stealing sand.

Together with the discover, the fee connected an extra discover from 2008 accusing the Brewers proprietor of scooping sand from the seashore for a unique home he owned half a mile away.

The 2008 discover claimed that Attanasio constructed an unlawful seawall product of sandbags and metallic poles alongside a stretch of public seashore, planted invasive plant species on a sand dune and impeded public entry to the seashore.

Attanasio offered that seashore home to “Mates” co-creator Marta Kauffman final 12 months for $23.6 million, information present.

“We’re pleased that the Coastal Fee is echoing what we’re additionally making an attempt to do, and we’re inspired with the actions that they’ve taken to this point,” mentioned legal professional Tim McGinity, who’s representing Attanasio’s neighbor James Kohlberg within the lawsuit. “This quotation of the neighboring property proprietor validates what we now have been saying from the beginning: The seashore can’t and shouldn’t be handled as a private sandbox.”

The sand battle has ignited a bigger dialogue in regards to the personal and public use of California’s seashores, as neighbors and cities battle over their share of a seemingly infinite useful resource that’s drastically shrinking in some areas.