By Ann Cole 
Bay Area Project Manager 

"Out on the points where the surf broke with heavy thumps and thunders, spray flew higher than the cliffs, and above each explosion of spray burst up an explosion of black and white as the turnstones feeding on the rocks flew upward to escape being soused.  Southward, toward Monterey and the sun, the sea went from white foam to heaving green glass to the mirror-like glitter of floating kelp. Far out, the bay had a glaze like celadon." 

This evocative passage about a Santa Cruz-area beach, written by Wallace Stegner in his novel Angle of Repose, could easily describe one of many points along the shore of the Coast Dairies property. Coast Dairies stretches for seven miles along the rugged coastline of northern Santa Cruz County and includes six magnificent beaches ensconced in coves surrounded by rocky promontories. Coast Dairies is the largest privately held property between San Francisco and Santa Cruz and one of the last three such holdings between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Mexican border. California Highway One passes through five scenic miles of this spectacular property, located seven miles north of Santa Cruz. Driving south from the Bay Area along Highway One, travelers catch enticing glimpses of the beaches and coves, and enjoy sweeping views of fields planted with artichokes and brussels sprouts adjacent to coastal terraces. 

The property’s true beauty cannot be appreciated until you spend time at one of the beaches. On any given day people relax on sandy beaches, surf, or just take in the spectacle of the sculpted cliffs, crashing breakers, and salt spray from atop one of the points. 

Since the turn of the century the land has been owned by a Swiss family. The family, which formed the Coast Dairies & Land Company, operated dairies on the property until the 1920s. In 1995 a Nevada development company acquired a stock option to purchase the corporation and its only asset—the Coast Dairies property—thus threatening the land with development. In 1997 the developers were poised to divide the land into as many as 139 luxury residential lots, which would destroy the property’s scenic splendor and valuable agricultural lands. 

Last fall, propelled by the vision and support of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Save-the-Redwoods League halted the threat of development by negotiating a purchase of the development company's stock option in the corporation.  Save-the-Redwoods League then assigned its right to purchase the option to the Trust for Public Land. TPL intends to exercise the option this fall, purchasing the Coast Dairies & Land Company and its Coast Dairies property. 

Tens of millions of dollars for the combined acquisition of the developer's rights and the landowning corporation are coming from private sources, including the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, major individual private donors, and Save-the-Redwoods League. Last year the California Coastal Conservancy added $1 million in public monies toward the acquisition. This year, thanks to the efforts of Senator Bruce McPherson and Assemblyman Fred Keeley, an additional $5 million was earmarked in the state budget to leverage the extraordinary availability of private dollars and complete the funding package. 

For decades the public has enjoyed access to these beaches with the permission of the landowner and the cooperation of Santa Cruz County. However, the property has been in private hands for nearly 100 years, and access to the upland areas has been restricted. After the acquisition is complete and a management plan in place, it may be possible to walk inland along some of the many streams that wind down to the sea through tree-lined canyons and savor the panoramic views of Monterey Bay and the ocean from the grassy ridges high above the water. 

Among its many attributes, the property includes three levels of ancient marine terraces, as well as coastal dunes and chaparral, oak woodlands, and redwood groves. It provides important habitat for many sensitive or rare plants and animals, including steelhead, coho salmon, raptors, snowy plovers, red-legged frogs, and mountain lions. 

Residents of the small community of Davenport (population 200), nestled at the heart of the coastal property, are ecstatic that Coast Dairies will now be protected from development. Locals rallied together with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County last January to hold a kickoff party in honor of the acquisition. During the event a model of the property was unveiled, and slides depicting its signature attributes were enjoyed by more than half of the town's residents. 

Through a dynamic management planning process, TPL will be seeking input from a variety of sources concerned about the property’s future. A plan will be crafted for sound long-term stewardship of the land.  Cooperating in the initial design of the management planning process are Save-the-Redwoods League, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, The Nature Conservancy, and the California Coastal Conservancy.  A broad group of federal, state, and local interests, and the public, will be invited to participate in the creation of the management plan. 

Acquisition of the Coast Dairies property provides an unparalleled opportunity to offer the public a package of multiple benefits. Some of the California coast's most scenic farmland will be protected from the pressures of development, preserving the local agricultural economy.  Public access to the magnificent beaches will be preserved in perpetuity, and public access to some of the inland acreage will be introduced, providing diverse recreational options and key linkages to nearby public lands. Valuable habitat and views along the seven miles of coastline will be protected, restored, and enhanced. 

TPL would like to acknowledge the vision and hard work of Senator Bruce McPherson and Assemblyman Fred Keeley and of Save-the-Redwoods League, the generosity of the Packard Foundation and the major private donors, the Coastal Conservancy, and many others who have made it possible to acquire and protect this priceless landscape.