Opinion ID: 2554806
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Historical Use of the Easement and Secret Beach

Text: [¶ 10] At trial, several witnesses testified about their use of Secret Beach around the time of the creation of the J-Lot subdivision. Bruce Balfour, who is not a J-Lot owner, regularly used the intertidal area of Secret Beach for general recreational purposes from 1969 through the early 1970s. Norman and Nancy Wulf have used the easement and the intertidal and upland portions of Secret Beach for general recreational purposes since the early 1970s. Robert Flaherty has regularly used Secret Beach for general recreational purposes since 1969. [¶ 11] Regarding the J-Lot owners' use of Lot J-46's upland portion of Secret Beach, the court found that Mary Arnold regularly used the upland since she became a J-Lot owner in 1985 until 1995, and that the Wulfs and Flaherty have used the upland since they became J-Lot owners in 1995 and 2005, respectively. [7] [¶ 12] Since 1999, when Woods began living at Lot J-46, he has photographed people using the easement and the intertidal land. When Muther and Woods acquired Lot J-46 in 2004, it was their intention to change the use of the easement and intertidal zone. There was no evidence showing that any person's use of the easement or of Secret Beach was interfered with or challenged before 2004. The court found that since 2005, Muther and Woods have been hyper-vigilant about monitoring the use of the easement and of Secret Beach, and Woods has confronted individuals, including J-Lot owners and their families, who were using the easement. Some J-Lot owners were frightened by their confrontations with Woods in the easement and have limited their use of the easement and Secret Beach as a result.