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CNN Live At Daybreak

California Homeowners Want to Block Public from Beaches

Aired August 02, 2002 - 06:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The battle for the beach is on in tone Malibu, California. But it could be anywhere around our coveted coastline.

CNN's Bill Schneider has the story right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The doctrine of public trust, which says beaches shall be open to public use, dates back 1,500 years to the Roman Emperor Justinian. But Justinian never had to deal with Hollywood mogul David Geffen or other beach front property owners here in Malibu.

(voice-over): It all comes down to this locked gate. It's on the property of billionaire film and record producer David Geffen. On one side of the gate, paradise -- the fabulous Malibu beaches, playground of Gidget and the Beach Boys. On the other side of the gate, the Pacific Coast Highway, busy and dangerous.

Can the state force Mr. Geffen to open that gate? It can, says a public activists.

Because with a little landscaping and the key to those gates, we could open up that tomorrow. And that's what I'd like to do. And that's currently why we're in court, because he's trying to stop me.

SCHNEIDER: It's an outrage, say Malibu homeowners.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nobody would knock on your door as an apartment dweller or a homeowner and say that, you know, it's a really pretty view over there, we would, you know, love to set up some picnic blankets.

SCHNEIDER: Who owns the beach? Thirty years ago, California voters passed a law that answered the question. The people do. And property owners must not interfere with the public's access to the beach. But they do, with warning signs and fences and locks and fees and unlabeled entryways.

How can they do that? Because politically there's an imbalance. Beach property owners are likely to be wealthy and influential, like Mr. Geffen. Their opponents drive them nuts. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have sort of latched on to this rabble rousing rally cry that is supposed to have a popular appeal, which it does. And if you can get to say it in 30 seconds, which they do, sure, why not? You know, what's the big problem? Swing open a door, let the public go. Homeowner, you know, where's the beef? I mean how could you possibly object to that?

SCHNEIDER: But the public has not rallied around the issue of beach rights. Why not? Because the beach going public is blissfully unaware.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They basically can go to the beach anywhere they like. What I aim to do is tell them, because they don't know that.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): More than half of the U.S. population now lives and works within 50 miles of the nation's coastline and almost 70 percent of that coastline is privately owned. Put those two facts together and you've got a conflict that's likely to last a long time.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Malibu, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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