The Palisades Fire burned much of Big Rock Beach in Malibu. Now, as part of a lawsuit settlement, a private property will open to public access. Photo: Shen Schulz Realty Team//Facebook
A new stretch of coastline in Southern California will be accessible to the public as part of a billionaire’s settlement for damaging a Malibu beach. Mark Attanasio, a billionaire finance mogul and the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, agreed to restore the beach in front of his Malibu home and dedicate another undeveloped $2 million plot of land in eastern Malibu for public use.
“This is a rare opportunity to secure beach access for the public in Malibu,” Coastal Commission Executive Director Kate Huckelbridge said in a press release. “I’m grateful to all involved for turning a bad situation into a major win for Californians.”
The two-year litigation saga began in June and July of 2024 when Attanasio obtained permits to repair a seawall for a private residence near Lechuza Point. However, he went beyond the scope of the permitted work. His company, 2XMD Partners LLC, used heavy machinery to remove sand, cobblestones, and boulders from the beach to reinforce the seawall. They also moved a rock wall to an adjacent area reserved for public access.
James Kohlberg, Attanasio’s neighbor, witnessed the violation and filed the lawsuit.
A California Coastal Commission fact sheet said the work “degraded sensitive habitats, which are home to species such as sea stars, rare algae, kelp and numerous fish species, among other wildlife.”
On September 10, the Coastal Commission unanimously voted to approve the settlement. 2XMD Partners LLC will not only restore the beach to its original state, but it will also remove an un-permitted private staircase and the rock wall that blocked the public access point.
Attanasio’s property that will be opened to the public is located at Big Rock Beach — an area hit hard by the Palisades Fire in January 2025. It had previously been on the market for $2 million. It’s unclear what work, if any, will be done to make the lot more accessible to the public.
