The beach had been open to the public for decades before Khosla bought the 89-acre property in 2008 for US$32.5 million (NZ$50.6 million) and shut off the lone road leading there. The Friends of Martin's Beach, which has been sparring with the billionaire for years, wanted the court to find that there was a long-established precedent for keeping the road open. The beach is sheltered on the north and south by high cliffs, making a single access road the only practical route. The previous owners used the property as a business, maintaining restrooms and a small convenience store. Khosla, 64, is the founder of Khosla Ventures and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, now part of Oracle.

Source: Stuff November 27, 2019 00:56 UTC