California Will Turn Ranch Land Into New Beach

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The California Coastal Commission has approved a plan that will return century-old ranchland to the public and create a mile of new public beach.

The commission, which oversees coastal development, unanimously approved an agreement Thursday to transfer 36 acres (14.5 hectares) of private coastal property to Santa Barbara County.

The land will be used to extend a current public park at remote Jalama (Hah-LAH'-mah) Beach, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The transfer is part of a settlement reached with the owners of the Cojo Jalama Ranches to deal with unapproved development that included grading the land and installing dozens of water wells.

Once known as Bixby Ranch, the land has been in private hands for more than 100 years.

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