Hollister Ranch
Food Chain Radio Show #1216
Michael Olson, Author & Urban Farming Agriculturalist
Hollister Ranch
Guest: David Breemer, Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation
One of the last undeveloped places left on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. is the 14,400 acre Hollister Ranch located west of Santa Barbara. You may not enter the gate of this magnificent parcel of Coastal California, unless you are invited by the Hollister Ranch Owner’s Association. The Hollister Ranch is private property.
Michael Olson Food Chain Radio – Should government force private property to open its gates?
In the 1950’s the Hollister family endeavored to share their magnificent landscape with the community by opening it up to the Sportsman Hunting Club. The hunting club then split into smaller clubs, one of which became the Santa Barbara Surf Club. The surfers gave their names to the Ranch’s surf breaks. Razor Blade’s, Drake’s, Little Drake’s and Utah became legendary throughout California’s surf community.
In California, state law allows public access to all coastal land below the mean high tide line. Surfers, divers, hikers and fisherman take advantage of this law every day. Surfers gain access to the surf breaks of Hollister Ranch breaks by boat.
When the State of California approached the Hollister Ranch Owners Association with a proposal to develop even greater access to the pristine coast, the association was not opposed and cooperated with the state. Legislation was proposed that encouraged state officials to work with the ranch on an access plan.
But during the final days of the 2019 legislative session, without hearings or debate. The legislation was then changed to give the state free and unfettered access to the ranch. And furthermore, it gave the state the power to fine the ranch owners tens of thousands of dollars should they hinder the state’s access in any way.
As consequence, the Hollister Ranch owners, fearful of the state government’s intentions, filed suit. And that suit leads us to ask…
Leave a comment below: Should government force private property to open its gates?
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Should government force private property to open its gates? Usually not. And in this case, the State of California was deceptive, communicated with the property owners in bad faith, and deserve to lose the lawsuit. Interesting how “private property” and “property rights” have become bad words among CA legislators, all of whom are private property owners and who would defend their own property give an outside threat.