Hollister Ranch Fights to Limit Public Beach Access

(Photo: HollisterRanch.com)

Hollister Ranch is one of the last chunks of California coastline that isn’t overdeveloped. Old oak trees and coastal sage scrub decorate the stretches between scattered houses, stables, and barns that blend in peacefully with the sandy landscape.

But this beautiful expanse of hilly grasslands and private beaches may not be as secluded in the near future. The California Coastal Commission and State Coastal Conservancy are fighting to provide access for non-residents onto these beaches that are mostly public by law.

These agencies are looking to capitalize on the 1982 YMCA plan to build a camp on land that eventually became part of Hollister Ranch, which requires public access to the site and the nearby beach.

Private settlement talks are ongoing. If these agencies are successful, people will be able to reach stretches of surf and sand that have long been off limits.

This would be a huge victory for the Coastal Commission, which has been trying to give the public access to this stretch of coastline since the YMCA plan’s approval in the 80s.

The next private hearing is scheduled for October 2, 2017.