Legal fight brewing over Santa Cruz beach access

A neighborhood group has rejected a plan by California regulators that sought to open up access to a gated beach in Santa Cruz that’s popular with surfers.

The Opal Cliffs Recreation District has regulated access to Privates Beach with a 9-foot iron fence and a $100 annual key fee for decades.

Thursday, the California Coastal Commission staffers recommended free year-round access from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset and replacing the gate with a fence no taller than 6 feet.

Recreation district attorney Mark Massara said the commission is overreaching and the district will fight the plan in court if necessary.

The battle is one of many that have been waged in California over the public’s right to access the coast.