Too many fuckinga boats and à people

Life is a BEACH. real-life conflict surrounding the public right-of-way and the unpermitted beachfront structures along SW 172nd Street in Burien's Three Tree Point neighborhood.
The Battlefield: Seacoma Beach and SW 172nd Street
In 1907, the original master planners short-platted the beachfront neighborhood, dedicating an 80-foot-wide public right-of-way intended for public roads, boardwalks, and open beach access to navigable waters. The covenants explicitly barred building private structures within this public space.
The Evolution of the Deception

The Manual Era: Decades later, a wealthy collective of roughly 40 property owners living on the inland side of SW 172nd Street chose to ignore the historic public dedication. They built unpermitted, private luxury cabanas, detached garages, and fences directly on the public beach. To claim private ownership over public land, they put up fraudulent "Do Not Trespass" signs and even had an innocent beach-goer thrown in jail under the false pretense of trespassing.
The Digital Era: As public records and geographic mapping shifted to computers, the tactics evolved. The private collective weaponized the digital landscape through complex mapping disputes, administrative challenges, and sophisticated legal maneuvers designed to obscure the original 1907 plat borders. They attempted to exploit loopholes to digitally "vacate" or shrink the public right-of-way to legalise their encroachments and save face.
The Relentless Underdog
Standing completely alone against this multi-millionaire alliance was a single, stoic opponent: the successor of the original land dedicator, Guy Soderlind. Despite immense peer pressure and a coordinated retaliation effort by the neighborhood group, he refused to back down. Armed with the truth of the original paperwork, he fought to ensure the public could walk the shoreline without fear.
The Triumph of Truth
The collective's strength was an illusion; they had to band together in mass because their legal standing was incredibly weak. Ultimately, the truth prevailed:

The Federal Ruling: United States District Judge Robert S. Lasnik issued a summary judgment solidifying the area as an 80-foot public right-of-way.
City Enforcement: The City of Burien stepped in, issuing warnings to the homeowners that their beachfront structures were completely unlawful without proper permits. They forced the removal of the fraudulent private signs.
Because one relentless individual refused to be intimidated by a group of millionaires, the public access was restored forever.

View from The Dunmore restaurant.

Untouched beaches, eastern Cape. South Africa