Save the Cuesta Inlet has been working for the past three years to acquire the privately owned 13-acre property in Los Osos.
"I can't overstate how important this access is to the community because Los Osos is underparked,” said Margarete Schmidt, Save the Cuesta Inlet Secretary-Treasurer.
Despite being private property, the group says the owners have allowed public access to the man-made inlet for years.
"It's been de facto public access for about 50 years, where people come here to launch their kayaks, they go birding, they walk their dogs, they picnic,” Schmidt said.
As a nonprofit, Save the Cuesta Inlet cannot pay more than the appraised value of the land, which is $735,000. They say that after more than two years, the owners accepted their offer last week.
"We just couldn't believe it,” Schmidt said.
But for the sale to happen at the appraised value, Schmidt says they had to offer the owners a six-month escrow.
"Which means we need $735,000 by November 29 so we can close on November 30,” she explained.
On Saturday, the group held an event at the inlet to kick off their capital fundraising campaign.
"The community rose, just within those two hours that we were here, rose a little over $40,000,” Schmidt said.
She says the group has one goal: public access.
"To make sure the community gets to keep the inlet the way they want to keep it,” Schmidt said.
"I think it would be a good idea to preserve it. I walk here three to four times a week with my dog. It’s part of our route and it's beautiful,” said Victor Vicanti, Los Osos resident.
As of Monday morning, the group has raised $328,000.
"It's not a done deal. We still have to perform by November 29,” Schmidt said.
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