Malibu's Escondido Beach Will Get A Public Path To PCH, Parking Lot And Bathrooms

MALIBU, CA — Escondido Beach is getting a public access path to Pacific Coast Highway after a vote by the California Coastal Commission on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The vote comes after a 40-year battle with homeowners in the area. Wednesday's action will restore a long-obscured public access point to the beach, which is located between Geoffrey’s Restaurant and Paradise Cove.

“It’s so hard for us to get new access to the coast, and new vertical accessways are like unicorns — they just don’t exist, especially in Malibu,” said Lisa Haage, chief of enforcement for the Coastal Commission, according to the Times. “Settling this case without litigation is huge. This is like flying to the moon or something.”

Under the agreement made between the state and property owners, the homeowners will remove encroachments to the path and restore the public easement. They'll also install five new public parking spots, a public restroom and highway signs, the Times reported.

It could be open as soon as next year.

Read more about the decades-long Escondido Beach dispute at the LA Times.