California’s beaches are public, but on the sands of Malibu, a billionaire is accused of stealing a slice of paradise — or at least a few spoonfuls of it — for himself.
A lawsuit filed last week alleges that billionaire Mark Attanasio, owner of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, has been using an excavator to dig up sand from Broad Beach and transport it back to him home as part of an ongoing construction project.
“This case involves a private property owner using a public beach as his own personal sandbox and converting a public natural resource, namely sand from Broad Beach, to the personal private use of a nearby homeowner, which is troubling,” the lawsuit states. .
The lawsuit was filed by Attanasio’s next-door neighbor James Kohlberg, the son of Jerome Kohlberg, who founded the global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
Kohlberg’s attorneys accuse Attanasio’s construction team, JILK Heavy Construction, of operating large backhoes in tidal areas, causing oil spills and exposing local marine life to potentially dangerous byproducts. The lawsuit alleges that the construction limits public access to the entire beach.
In 2007, Attanasio bought the Broadbeach home for $23 million.
Mark Attanasio purchased the Malibu parcel for $6.6 million in 2017 but never developed it.
(Mike Hayward)
In March, the brewery owners obtained a permit to repair the damaged portion of the seawall, the lawsuit states. In June and July, backhoes allegedly began hauling beach sand onto his private property, leaving gasoline residue in the water and sand.
Attanasio’s attorney, Kenneth Ehrlich, said his client’s company, 2XMD Partners LLC, acted in 100 percent compliance with all of its licenses.
“2XMD is performing fully permitted emergency repairs on the property to protect it from the forces of the ocean. It has obtained all permits needed for repairs from the City of Malibu and Los Angeles County and is responsible for all contractors involved in the project. Vendors and subcontractors were thoroughly reviewed.
The lawsuit accuses Attanasio of public nuisance, private nuisance and violations of the California Coastal Code and requires construction to be stopped, sand replaced and fines imposed.
The controversial stretch of sand lies east of Lechuza Point on Broad Beach, a super-exclusive enclave where celebrities and business tycoons spend tens of millions of dollars building on the water Residential.
Over the years, the beach has been battered by violent storms and high tides that have severely depleted the sand. In 2015, prominent residents including Dustin Hoffman, Ray Romano and Pierce Brosnan committed to a $31 million restoration project to stabilize the beach’s sand .
Over the past few decades, Malibu has become one of the most expensive areas in the country. Earlier this year, Oakley founder James Jannard sold his home there for $210 million — the most expensive home sale in California history.
During that time, as the super-wealthy build ever-larger homes along Malibu’s rugged mountains and coveted beaches, the neighborhood has become about development versus conservation and the role of government in preserving California’s natural beauty. bone of contention.
