Drone image of Cuesta Inlet by Dean Sullivan
Three years ago, a treasured piece of property in Los Osos was put on the market resulting in the formation of a non-profit group intent on buying the land to preserve it for public use.
The Cuesta Inlet, bordering the southeast end of the Morro Bay estuary at 1745 Doris Ave., is currently privately owned but open to public use as per the property owners. A buyer has made an offer on the land with the possibility of building a home on the 13-acre site which crosses three parcels of land.
The property was appraised at $735,000 with an asking price of $1 million through Franklin Real Estate and Rentals in Morro Bay. The details of the interested buyer or the dollar amount on the table were not revealed, but Jack Franklin said it was below the asking price.
In 2022, at 300 members strong, the group Save Cuesta Inlet attained non-profit status and officially kicked off fundraising efforts to purchase the beloved property.
The group raised about $200,000 through a community supported campaign.
A private buyer has made and offer to purchase the land known as the Cuesta Inlet in Los Osos.
Photo by Theresa-Marie Wilson
“Currently, several agencies have funds available for this type of project and have expressed interest,” Margarete Schmidt, Save Cuesta Inlet secretary-treasurer, told Estero Bay News. “However, they will not commit funds to the project until we are in contract [escrow] to purchase the property. It is not unusual for projects of this type to receive funding from multiple sources. We feel there is a window of opportunity that may be closing; funds for this type of project may not be available in the near future.”
The issue is further complicated by IRS rules limiting nonprofits to paying no more than the appraised value of the property, putting a private buyer in an enviable situation.
Following the news that a competing buyer made an offer; the non-profit remains steadfast.
“Our goal remains to facilitate the protection of the Cuesta Inlet and preserve continued access for the benefit of the community and wildlife,” Schmidt said.
Signs displayed in yards of many residents in the area showing support to purchase the land for public use.
Photo by Theresa-Marie Wilson
The area is enjoyed by boaters, walkers, bird watchers, photographers and painters with easels in hand. Husband and wife, Dennis and Sally Joller, who have lived in Los Osos since the mid 1970s, were out for their daily walk by the Inlet. Both expressed concern that the sell of site could turn away the public rather than welcoming them.
“The whole community uses it,” Dennis said, “I don’t know if that would change with new owners.”
“It is just such a special place,” Sally said. “My husband and I walk it five times a week. He gets tired of me saying, ‘Oh, I love where I live.’”
A parcel on the land, identified as a 50 by 92-foot lot on Mitchell Drive, is zoned for a single-family dwelling.
“There is a possibility that you could build one house on that lot, and then you could introduce, you know, some type of commercial visitor serving uses,” said Franklin. “I’ve had hundreds of prospective buyers for the property.”
For the past few years, those buyers were shot down in part because the longstanding moratorium on building in Los Osos related to water supply. That permitting process has changed somewhat when it concerns single-family residential homes, but the numbers are still limited. There is a five-year waiting list and Franklin said about 50 homes could be built but there are about 250 applicants.
“The private individual who has an interest in the property,” Franklin said, “is talking to the County about one house with a very low impact commercial visitor serving use for the balance of the land. But his offer has not been approved; in concept, it’s been approved.”
Save the Inlet thinks there might be hope in the details. The Estero Area Plan specifies wetland setbacks varying from 50 to 100 feet in the inlet and surrounding areas, but the group doesn’t yet know if that will be a drawback.
“We would like to share this information with the buyers and encourage them to contact the County to determine the setbacks that affect the property and the potential impact on any building plans,” Schmidt said. “We hope to meet with the buyer and explore all options for the Inlet. We remain optimistic that an agreement beneficial to all parties can be reached.”
The Inlet was originally owned by a group of five people, however one person passed away several months ago and the sale cannot be completed until her estate is settled, which could be as early as next month. All owners must be in agreement in order to move forward, according to Franklin.
Save Cuesta Inlet is once again turning to the community that has rallied in the past.
“Our goal has always been transparency with the community,” Schmidt said. “They have been incredibly generous with their donations and their support of the project. In the almost three years we have been working on this; every single person we encountered has been in favor of the project and enthusiastic in their support for securing Cuesta Inlet for the public. When we learned about a competing offer, we had to inform the community. If anyone happens to win the big lottery and would like to purchase the property for the community, that would be ideal.”
Nothing has officially been decided but Save Cuesta Inlet hopes to meet with the potential buyers and discuss the issue.
“We would like to learn what their plans are for the Inlet,” Schmidt said. “We hope to provide them with some insight into the significance of the Inlet and its importance to the community. We encourage them to meet with County officials, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies with jurisdiction over the Inlet to investigate whether their plans are feasible.”
The goal for the group is to find a long-established nonprofit, land trust, or public agency to take over the property and keep it public space for perpetuity.
“We don’t want to be the long-term steward of that property,” Schmidt said in a previous interview. “Our goal is to take this property out of private ownership and put it into the public arena so that people can continue to enjoy access for perpetuity. It’s just a special sort of magical place that only exists in our little corner of the bay, and we want to see preserved access.”
To donate or for more information, go to savecuestainlet.org.
