Hearst Ranch Conservation Easement and Coastal Trail Plan

San Luis Obispo County, CA

RRM Design Group has long enjoyed a strong working relationship with the Hearst Corporation on its 83,000 acre ranch holdings in San Simeon, California.

For this project, RRM helped the Hearst Corporation with a significant conservation transaction involving the acquisition by the State of California of 14 miles of coastline, and a conservation easement limiting the developability of the remaining acreage.

RRM’s master design consultation, GIS mapping, technical team coordination, trail planning, public information presentation (slides, projections, brochures, and display boards explaining the ranch’s history, proposed resort facilities, and unique relationship with the surrounding communities), and entitlement advising and processing were instrumental in understanding the sensitivities and natural processes at work on the Hearst Ranch. These services facilitated the acquisition by a number of state agencies for nearly $100 million that would open up a significant stretch of coastal lands to trails and public access.