Protecting our Public Lands Re: Malibu Beach & other private excesses

Matcom posted a thread earlier today regarding a private landowner who chopped down trees on public property in order to improve his view of a lake, I remembered that there was a similar action on Malibu. Apparently a private HomeOwner's Association dug up sand from a public beach to rebuild the beach in front of their private area.

Now, I know not everyone in that Association is Republican, so I was wondering how something like this can happen in the heart of a Democratic state?

Beach Berm Lawsuit is Filed

LATimes Thursday July 7, 2005

Malibu's Broad Beach homeowners face fines of up to $15,000 a day for hiring bulldozers last month to scoop sand off the public beach and pile it onto private property in front of their oceanfront homes, under a lawsuit filed Wednesday by state officials.

<snip> end of quote.

This Association has done more than just remove sand, it has also attempted to claim the public area in front of their Association as their own. Sorry, I don't have the link for the rest of the article.