Joe Muzzi and his family have long farmed 416-acre Bolsa Point Ranch and 142-acre Peninsula Farms on the San Mateo County coast. The Muzzis have leased the properties for years. After signing an agreement with POST in August, the Muzzis are the new owners of both farms, ensuring their family's livelihood will continue on the same carefully tended fields they have worked for more than a generation.
The Muzzis own the property outright while POST holds conservation easements on the land, which is adjacent to Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, near Pescadero. The easements ensure that the highly visible farm fields will be preserved for farming in perpetuity.
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"Our goal for Bolsa Point Ranch and Peninsula Farms has always been to place the agricultural lands back into the hands of local farmers, so we are pleased to partner with the Muzzi family to preserve the historic use of these unique lands," said POST President Audrey Rust in a prepared statement. "The transfer of these farms to the Muzzis also completes our vision to protect scenic views surrounding Pigeon Point Light Station and enhances low-impact recreational opportunities, such as hiking, along the coast."
POST originally bought Bolsa Point Ranch and Peninsula Farms as part of a larger acquisition, in 2001, of one of the largest remaining undeveloped properties along the local coast. The acquisition is part of POST's "Saving the Endangered Coast" campaign.
"Our family has farmed these fields for nearly 50 years," said Joe Muzzi in the POST release. "We are pleased to be able to purchase the land we've leased for so long. We have a lot of history here and it's a dream come true to own this land.
"I'm glad to know that those who visit this area will now be able to enjoy the beauty of this place for generations to come."
- from staff reports
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