The community effort to purchase the Cuesta Inlet in Los Osos is now fully funded so the space can be preserved for public use.
“It’s nice to have open space in Los Osos close to where I live. I live a couple of blocks away from here. I come out here to do bird watching, photography, and walk my dogs,” said Jim Royer, Los Osos resident.
Despite being private property, the Save the Cuesta Inlet nonprofit group says the owners have allowed public access for years.
“You meet a lot of nice people out here, and it’s very beautiful, of course. For me, it’s right outside my house, so it’s a good little break,” said Michael Metcalf, Los Osos resident.
“Coastally, obviously, open space like this is down to nothing, so it’s nice to see 13 acres that hasn’t been developed,” Royer said.
After the owners accepted the nonprofit’s offer to buy the 13-acre property for $735,000 over three months ago, they had only six months to come up with the funds.
“The community came back to us and said, ‘We got it from here,’” said Margarete Schmidt, Save the Cuesta Inlet board member.
After several fundraisers and community donations, the end goal came early.
“We got the money in three months — $735,000,” Schmidt said.
“It’s great that somebody is going to take care of it and manage it,” Metcalf said.
Schmidt says once escrow closes on October 1, the nonprofit will be changing its name.
“Once that day happens, it will be secured for the public and saved. We will morph into Friends of the Inlet,” Metcalf said.
But still, after more than three years of raising money to purchase the property, they will keep fundraising.
“Insurance, there are some administrative costs, overhead costs that we need to make sure we have enough money for,” Metcalf said.
Schmidt says once escrow closes, the group will be taking a break until 2026, when they have some work planned.
“Doing a bit of a cleanup. People love the inlet the way it is, so I don’t expect to see any big changes at all. Expect some work on the boat creep,” Schmidt said.
Royer says he is happy that the community was able to raise the needed funds.
“So thumbs up to Los Osos,” he said.
All funding that is received until the escrow closes on October 1 will still be considered as part of the purchase campaign. Any donations received after October 1 will be used to support the next chapter.
For more information on future fundraisers, click here.
