Court: Wider beach still public

When a beach is widened, the newly created beachfront is public property, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a decision that denies claims for compensation filed by six Florida homeowners. The case is Stop the Beach Renourishment Inc. v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The beachfront homeowners from Destin argued they were owed compensation because the state's beach widening project stripped them of their exclusive access to the beach. But the nation's highest court disagreed in a unanimous decision.

The court's full ruling is available online.