City of Malibu accused of trying to keep public beaches a secret after signs removed near Lechuza Beach

A years-long battle over public beach access continues in Malibu, where city officials are being accused of purposely removing signs that detailed how to access the hard-to-find stretch of the coast known as Lechuza Beach. 

The signs were recently taken down along Broad Beach Road, "because they were not permitted and did not conform to safety standards," according to a statement from the City of Malibu. 

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However, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority -- which owns Lechuza Beach -- says that they don't believe the statement, and that they are instead trying to keep the public beaches a secret. 

"It can be very difficult to find this public access down to this hidden beach," said in an Instagram post calling out the city, saying that the signs were only up for 18 days before they were taken down. "This is why the MRCA had these public coastal signs installed on three public access ways along this road."  

MRCA officials took the issue to the Malibu City Council meeting Monday evening, telling KCAL News that any permitting or safety issues being brought up are a way to deter the signs from staying in place -- noting that they don't believe the city wants people to have access to all of the Malibu coastline. 

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"With the summer heat ramping up, we wanted to provide this public service, but the city chose to cut them down and confiscate them," the MRCA Instagram post continued.

Despite the removal of the signs, the city maintains that they are in support of public beach access. 

"The city continually supports public access to beaches in Malibu, which is protected under state law for the entire coast of California," the statement said. 

They say that the MRCA can apply for the proper permitting to get the signs reinstalled, but Authority leaders are unsure if they even have the jurisdiction to stop them from having them put back up anyway. 

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Public beach access have been a constant issue in Malibu over the years, with some residents even hiring bodyguards to deter beachgoers from using trails near their homes to hit the coast.