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Plans to create public access to the beaches on privately-owned land at Hollister Ranch in Santa Barbara County is ongoing, but the pandemic has slowed the process.
All California beaches are public up to the mean tideline but at Hollister Ranch, the public cannot access the 8.5 miles of shoreline by land, except at low tide.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation in Oct. 2019 that calls for an updated access plan by April 1, 2021. As a result, officials tasked a committee with resolving long-standing disputes between Hollister Ranch homeowners and state agencies, and finding an equitable solution for opening access to the beaches.