Effectively the court was allowing him to recoup some of his cost with parking, just not at the rate he wanted.
Edit: Oh your original post referred to one up several more levels, when I wrote this response I thought it referred to the post I replied to, but noticed no significant modifications.
It also noted that, at the time, the area's use had declined significantly due to smelt fishing decline which is why the previous owner sold it.
So, when the dispute occurred, he'd been providing the same access as ever when a mandate came out of the blue saying he had to provide a significantly higher level of access than was historically required and whatever extra costs that might incur on a beach that was largely unused at the time overall and during the periods of closer in particular.
So he was like "wtf, why?" in a very legal sense (the only sense that would work in legal disputes). And _only_ after the case went viral as some kind of down with the 1%'rs! rally cry did people actually start bothering to go visit the site...to make a point.
I'm sure the novelty will wear off and then they'll be some property manager that has to sit up there through the night and winter for....nobody.
Also I fail to see how the decline of the areas use would have anything to do with its availability, this isn't a use it or lose it situation. Can you explain how reduced usage of the beach should effect its availability at all?
There are a lot of unsupported statements going on for both sides if I take the ones that they seem to agree on I get something of a narrative like this.
He bought the property.
He kept the beach open similar to the previous owners.
Tried to charge $X amount for parking.
People complained, and the court told him he could only charge $2.
He said well fuck you guys I'll just close the beach.
He won a case to close the beach.
He lost a 2nd case forcing him to open the beach.
He lost a 3rd beach forcing him to open the beach.
He started opening the beach sometimes. Is it more or less than the previous owners? Well this seems to be where the core disagreement is with no real support or evidence provided to the public for either side.
I think he comes off sounding like a dick, especially at the end of that article that quotes him repeatedly which you linked, where he tries to re-frame the issue as one of conservation. You apparently see him as an entitled land owner, we clearly disagree. However if you would like to continue this, which there is no need to as I believe we have reached an impasse I would ask that any numbers you use are ones I can verify. Thank you.