Decade-Long Lunada Bay Boys Lawsuit Settled By Palos Verdes Estates

Crime & Safety

Decade-Long Lunada Bay Boys Lawsuit Settled By Palos Verdes Estates As part of the settlement, Palos Verdes Estates has agreed to make the Lunada Bay area more accessible to everybody.

— A decade-long lawsuit against the City of Palos Verdes Estates and the Lunada Bay Boys has been settled, the city announced Friday.

Originally filed in 2016, the lawsuit was revived in a California appeals court in 2023 when it ruled the city could be held liable for violating the Coastal Act for allegedly turning a blind eye as the group harassed and drove away beachgoers for decades.

The resolution to the case will have the city add amenities at key points in Lunada Bay to make the space more accessible to the general public.

"The City Council is committed to ensuring compliance with the California Coastal Act and public access to our beaches. Likewise, the City Council does not tolerate harassment, bullying or any form of localism at any of the City's beaches. Based on the decade of legal action and court rulings that have wavered between supporting the City's position and disagreeing with it, we believe the best path forward for everyone is to resolve this matter," said Kerry Kallman, Palos Verdes Estates City Manager. "Based on advice from legal counsel and direction from the City Council, we are confident it is in the City's interest to resolve this matter."

Improvements that the city will make include:

adding stone benches in key points along the bluffs, similar to other coastal areas in the city;

improving the existing pathway along the bluffs;

adding signage to assist with navigation and to ensure the public is aware that beach access at Lunada Bay is available to everyone.

Before the lawsuit, a rock fort stood on the sands of Lunada Bay for about 30 years that had a roof, stone table and a barbecue area. Residents and the Bay Boys were known to enjoy the fort. The Palos Verdes Estates City Council voted to dismantle the fort in 2016, despite community pushback .

The case is now officially closed and the City Council voted unanimously to accept the settlement terms.

"There is no doubt residents who have been tracking this matter for years will either be relieved or frustrated by this outcome. The City has been through a rollercoaster of rulings on this lawsuit, and as we looked into the future, we simply saw nothing but more legal fees and uncertainty. Our focus needs to be on resident priorities and it's good to no longer have this matter consuming valuable resources," Mayor Dawn Murdock said.