More Mesa Listed for $65 Million

Photos: Century 21

By edhat staff

The 265 acres of coastal land known as "More Mesa" is back on the market for $65 million.

Listed by Century 21 as 0 More Mesa Drive, the stretch of land between Hope Ranch and the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.

The More Mesa open space includes oak woodland and riparian habitat as well as trails that are popular with birdwatchers, bikers, and horseback riders. The property is accessible by driving south on Patterson Avenue, and then east on Shoreline Drive to a trailhead near Orchid Drive.

According to the real estate listing, the oceanfront land was appraised in 2007 at $106 million and is zoned for 70 homes. The listing goes on to state, "it is made up of legally subdivided 6 lots yet physically it is one single lot. Although the requirement in that location is 30% of the size of this land can be a buildable area being 80 acres yet the county compelled by the environmentalists to allow only 15 % being 40 acres." 

The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County purchased a piece of the property on the northwestern edge of More Mesa in 1991. The former “Austin/Andrews Property” was purchased with Proposition 70 bond funds, and transferred to the County.