Milwaukee Brewers owner faces legal dispute over beach sand removal

Jack Aylmer

AS THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ATTEMPT TO MAKE A DEEP RUN IN THE MLB POSTSEASON THIS OCTOBER-

THEIR BILLIONAIRE OWNER IS FACING LEGAL ISSUES-

ALL OVER SAND.

MARK ATTANASIO’SNEIGHBOR FILED A LAWSUIT ACCUSING THE BREWERS OWNER OF USING EXCAVATORS TO TRANSFER SAND FROM A PUBLIC BEACH TO HIS PRIVATE MALIBU PROPERTY FOR A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES THAT ATTANASIO’S CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS NOT ONLY REMOVED A PUBLIC NATURAL RESOURCE BUT ALSO LEAKED OIL INTO TIDAL ZONES, POTENTIALLY HARMING MARINE LIFE.

NOW THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION HAS ISSUED THEIR DECISION ON THE MATTER-

FINDING THIS WEEK THAT ATTANASIO WAS IN VIOLATION OF THEIR RULES.

AND THIS ISN’T HIS FIRST SAND-RELATED OFFENSE EITHER-

HAVING BEEN CITED BY THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY IN 2008 FOR MAKING AN ILLEGAL SEAWALL AT A DIFFERENT PROPERTY WITH SAND SCOOPED FROM THE BEACH.

MALIBU’S BEACHES HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM SEVERE EROSION, PROMPTING CONCERNS ABOUT SAND DEPLETION.

ACCORDING TO A 2023 STUDY, AS MUCH AS 70% OF CALIFORNIA BEACHES COULD BE WASHED AWAY BY THE END OF THE CENTURY.

WHILE ATTANASIO CLAIMS THE PROJECT RECEIVED EMERGENCY PERMITS AS PART OF NECESSARY SEAWALL REPAIRS-

THE RULING AGAINST HIM COULD RESULT IN FINES AND AN ORDER TO REPLACE THE REMOVED SAND.

JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.