A locked beach is turning into a fight over social justice in California

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Tucked along a stretch of famous surf breaks and crowded beaches, down a winding road dotted with multimillion-dollar homes, a wrought-iron gate guards this little community's not-so-secret secret.

Locals call it Privates Beach, though technically it's a county park. A "gate ambassador" - or security guard, depending on which side you're on - greets the regulars of Opal Cliff Drive. All are welcome, they say, with a $100 gate key that can be purchased each year at a family-run surf shop. Proceeds go toward keeping the beach safe and clean.

Many out-of-towners don't bother because they can't justify the cost as a visitor. Others find the area intimidating.

For decades, county regulators let residents have their way. They even have the local sheriff's blessing.

But the California Coastal Commission, armed with a newly bestowed power to demand social justice for all, has now overruled the county permit and declared the fees illegal. The gate operation, if allowed to continue, would be the first