Court issues new ruling regarding Hollister Ranch, paving way for public access to the area’s beaches

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A new chapter was reached in the decades-long legal battle over Hollister Ranch and its 8-mile coastline.

The public is one step closer to having access to the private enclave's exclusive beaches.

The Court of Appeals issued a new ruling last week, essentially doing away with a private settlement from 2018 between Hollister Ranch, the California Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy.

A group known as the 'Gaviota Coastal Trail Alliance' fought that deal and won. The decision will be finalized in 30 days.

Residents at Hollister Ranch could ask the State Supreme Court to review the ruling.

Meantime, a pilot program for public access to beaches at Hollister Ranch could launch this spring.