A San Mateo County supervisor who took aim at a private fence blocking public access to Thornton State Beach in Daly City says the illegally erected barricade is coming down.
Supervisor David Canepa, who appealed to the California Coastal Commission, said the 8-foot chain link fence will be removed this week, citing an announcement by Daly City officials.
The fence sported a hand-drawn sign with an image of a gun warning that trespassers would be shot. Canepa said a private landowner behind the fence “essentially held this beach hostage for weeks.”
Daly City officials said Jan. 31 the fence was installed without required permits and appeared to extend into parts of the public right-of-way, interfering with long-established coastal access.
“This will be a huge win for all the Thornton State Park beach lovers who have been illegally denied access to this recreational wonderland when the city completely removes the fence in about a week,” Canepa said Friday in a statement. “Justice will prevail.”
Canepa said the fence was erected in recent weeks as developers proposed building on the land. The fence obstructed the trail down to the beach from Olympic Way and threatened emergency access to the oceanfront, Canepa said.