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© 2003
Hearst
Ranch
Development Reduction
Overview:
There are two components to the Hearst Ranch development possibilities:
Visitor Services, such as hotels, motels, guest ranches, campgrounds, golf courses etc.
Actual entitlements to the Hearst Ranch itself, which includes the number of legal parcels, and certificates of compliance.
In all cases the development on the Hearst Ranch will be reduced to a fraction of what could of been built as currently approved by Local Coastal Plan (LCP)
The sections to follow shows what is currently allowed and what will be allowed based on the Hearst Ranch Conservation Framework.
Visitor Serving Zoning Comparison
1965 Piedra Blanca Plan:
San Luis Obispo County General Plan allowed a city of over 10,000 acres with a population of 65,000 including 20,000 dwelling units, shopping centers, schools, college and golf courses.
Current Certified Local Coastal Plan (Approved 1983/1988):
Allows 650 units of resort hotel units, commercial/retail and recreation uses and in four phases:
Visitor Center Staging Area: 150 unit hotel, restaurants and commercial uses.
Old San Simeon Village (OSSV): Commercial/Retail zoning allows restaurants and retail uses, no hotel.
San Simeon Point Resort: Recreation zoning allowing 250 unit resort hotel with restaurants and golf course.
Pine Forest Lodge: 250 unit resort hotel and equestrian center.
1998 California Coastal Commission Suggested Modifications to County Proposed LCP Update:
Coastal Commission (CCC) in 1998 recommended eliminating all phases of visitor serving zoning except OSSV where CCC recommended expanding Old San Simeon Village building envelope from about 40 acres to over 100 acres and allowing 375 hotel rooms, a 60 bed hostel, a 50 site campground in addition to restaurants and retail uses. Coastal Commission recommendations were not accepted by the County, leaving in tact the 1983/1988 certified LCP.
Proposed Conservation Easement on Visitor Serving Zoning:
Eliminate Visitor Center Staging Area: 150 unit hotel, restaurants and commercial uses.
Eliminate San Simeon Point Resort: Recreation zoning allowing 250 unit resort hotel with restaurants and golf course.
Eliminate Pine Forest Lodge: 250 unit resort hotel and equestrian center.
No other Public/Private Inns, Bed and Breakfasts, motels, etc. development West of Highway 1 except what is mentioned at Old San Simeon Village.
Redesign Old San Simeon Village (OSSV): New development will be limited to new and local visitor-serving uses, including existing buildings and limited, historically consistent infill, inspired by Julia Morgan’s recently rediscovered vision, with under 100 rooms.
Agricultural Zoning ComparisonCurrent zoning and certificate of compliance entitlements:
In the last two years, the County has recorded 271 certificates of compliance on the 82,000 acre Hearst Ranch, recognizing each certificated parcel as separately saleable. Current zoning allows one principal residence per parcel in the Coastal Zone and two principal residences per parcel outside the Coastal Zone, for a total of over 400 allowable principal residences.
Current zoning has no restriction on the intensification of cropland uses, including planting of vineyards, orchards or crops.
Proposed Restricted Rights under Conservation Easement:
The easement will eliminate approximately 373 principal residences and place a limit on the number of new owner homesites to 27, all to be located inland of Highway One and subject to a 5 acre building envelope and strict siting criteria that would recognize sensitive environmental and cultural resource areas, respect existing public views from Highway 1 and Hearst Castle, and be located near existing roads within the interior of the ranch. Every attempt is being made to cluster Homesites to minimize impact on wildlife, habitat, and infrastructure development.
The remainder of the Hearst Ranch will contain limitations on location and acreage of cropland uses.
A "Baseline Inventory" developed by independent experts will document the current conditions of the ranch. This information will be incorporated into a report to be used by the easement holder to monitor compliance with the easement terms, including protection of the conservation values. The areas of expertise include botany, wildlife, fisheries, water resources, cultural, and grazing management. These independent experts will also verify that the retained owner homesites meet siting criteria, though additional review will be required when any permits are requested. The baseline inventory will also include state-of-the-art aerial photography that can be updated periodically to assist in monitoring easement compliance.
We urge you to gather information from this web site and other sources and decide for yourself whether preserving this extraordinary piece of California is important. If you decide it is, please join our effort to support this project and preserve the Hearst Ranch. If you have questions we will try to answer them if we can.
To join the effort to preserve the Hearst Ranch
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