County Considers Expanding Jalama Beach Park

County counsel met privately Tuesday to discuss costs and terms of proposed dedication of 35 acres of donated oceanfront property near Jalama Beach to Santa Barbara County. The donation was part of a 2017 settlement between the California Coastal Commission and The Baupost Group, an investment firm that agreed to hand over the acreage and restore parts of its greater, 24,364-acre Cojo Jalama holding after dozens of unpermitted wells and roads were discovered on its property. After the settlement was finalized, Baupost sold the Cojo Jalama to The Nature Conservancy for $165 million via a donation by Jack and Laura Dangermond. The 35 acres would be added to Jalama Beach Park, which already maintains more than 100 campsites.