“Surfing has been a niche sport for so long,” Kelly Slater told British GQ in 2022, when luxury watch brands such as TAG Heuer and Tudor began investing in the sport. Surfing was already popular, but following the sport’s Olympic induction in Tokyo, it has grown at every level. Yet, the culture in Lunada Bay at Palos Verdes stood still for over a decade.

The beautiful waves off the Palos Verdes peninsula are ideal for surfing. However, the local surfer gang, the Bay Boys, started a turf war on the beach sometime in the early to mid-2010s. Soon, anyone not affiliated with the Bay Boys found it incredibly difficult to surf in the popular location. However, the winds of change have finally arrived after nearly a decade of legal proceedings.

Plaintiffs Cory Spencer and Diana Miernik filed the case in 2016. The surfers went to Lunda Bay intending to enjoy surfing the waves. However, the Bay Boys slashed their car tiers and even started a fistfight to get them off the beach. Now, a settlement promises an end to the issues and revitalization of the location.

On September 22, the city of Palos Verdes announced they had resolved the issues through a settlement. “The City Council does not tolerate harassment, bullying or any form of localism at any of the City’s beaches,” read the announcement. Los Angeles County also announced their commitment to renovating the beach, which fell into disrepair thanks to the gang.

While Spencer and Miernik filed a lawsuit in 2016, the citizens of the Palos Verdes had complained for years by that point. The Bay Boys had constructed a stone fort on the beach by 2016. They used it for a higher vantage point and reported lanced stones at beachgoers. The gang even went so far as to post the “Unlocals will be hassled.” on the top of the bluff at Lunada.

However, with the lawsuit coming to a close, KTLA 5 reported that 12 Bay Boys members settled the case individually. Now the city has announced some big plans to transform the place that even the locals avoided.

How the city plans to revitalize the surfing culture in Lunada Bay

While the Bay Boys’ ominous warding off beachgoers no longer exists, the city has to put up a new sign. The consent decree said the city needed to overhaul the bluff. These include creating and maintaining a trail for hikers, surfers, and dog walkers. They also have to install an “Open to everyone” atop the bluff and plant drought-resistant plants.

However, the ‘Open to everyone’ signs will also line the shore, welcoming surfing enthusiasts from across the country. The city has also agreed to make the beach more welcoming for those simply looking to relax by the sea. Palos Verdes will add stone benches on the bluff and the beach at spots that offer a view of Launada Bay.

Officials will also improve existing pathways leading to these points. The California Coastal Commission’s executive director, Kate Huckelbridge, hailed the settlement and the announced efforts to revitalize Lunada Bay. She expressed her happiness to the LAist, saying the beach is on its way to becoming “safe and welcoming for visitors regardless of their ZIP codes.” However, the city didn’t announce a concrete timeline for the renovations. Only time will tell when Lunada Bay becomes a haven for surfing enthusiasts once again.