Madonna daughter’s ranch up for sale in heart of SLO. Could homes be built there one day?
A roughly 360-acre property in the heart of San Luis Obispo that has long been in the Madonna family is up for sale, according to several online real estate postings, a YouTube video, and the owners’ ranch website.
And the seller is raising the possibility that the new owner of the land at the western base of Cerro San Luis could eventually build on it.
The Alberti-Madonna agricultural property extending from Foothill Boulevard is listed for sale at $12.6 million, according to several online posts.
The L-shaped site reaches from the north side of Laguna Lake to Cerro San Luis and out to Foothill Boulevard.
The expansive 263 W. Foothill Blvd. property is owned by Catherine and Rowland Twisselman, who also own a run a large cattle ranch in Carrisa Plains and raise horses through Madonna Inn Quarter Horses, according to their website.
Catherine Twisselman is the daughter of Phyllis Madonna and the late Alex Madonna, founders of the Madonna Inn, who previously owned the Foothill Boulevard ranch property, real estate records show.
Reached by phone this week, Twisselman declined comment about the proposed sale. Her family’s Madonna Inn Quarter Horses website lists the property under the tab “Ranch for Sale.”
The property, located in county jurisdiction just outside city limits, currently is zoned for agricultural use.
The assessed value of the property’s 357 acres was listed at $1.6 million in the 2019-20 tax year, according to a SLO County assessor’s website.
Owners’ website suggests future development in SLO
The Twisselmans’ website says the land could have potential future development potential in the city of San Luis Obispo if it’s annexed.
“Currently zoned agriculture but is in the future plans of the city of San Luis Obispo for city annexation, which would make it an ideal investment property for either a future multiple housing development or for your very own private ranch home with acreage,” the family website listing shows.
“Don’t Miss This Once In A Lifetime Opportunity,” the post says. “This beautiful 360-acre ranch sets in the heart of San Luis Obispo, CA ... Invest in the future!”
But San Luis Obispo’s community development director said the property currently has no development planning in place, and any proposals wouldn’t be considered potentially until a 2035 General Plan update.
The property, in close proximity to Cerro San Luis (also informally called “San Luis Mountain” and “Madonna Mountain”) offers views of surrounding hills and Bishop Peak.
Much of the ranch land is visible to drivers from Los Osos Valley Road and Foothill.
Michael Codron, SLO’s community development director, told The Tribune the property is outside the city’s limits with no current city zoning or services, or pending plans for annexation.
“It is designated as open space on our General Plan Land Use Map,” Codron said in an email. “Consistent with city policy, we have no plans to extend urban services — such as water, sewer, law enforcement, etc., to this property.”
The property is listed in SLO’s “sphere of influence,” along with other land along Foothill and Los Osos Valley Road, meaning it represents a “logical boundary and in the long term could be incorporated,” Codron said.
“However, that would not happen unless the city actively planned for its inclusion,” Codron said.
Cordon said that “to be clear, this property currently has no development potential with city services, and the next major General Plan update, when these kinds of changes are normally considered, is currently not expected to occur before 2035.“
Ranch land is part of SLO greenbelt
The city’s General Plan generally has identified areas for potential future city development in concentrated infill areas near existing SLO homes and buildings, such as occurred with the San Luis Ranch development along Highway 101, envisioning open space protection for the greenbelt that surrounds the city.
This ranch property is in that greenbelt area, Codron said.
Under city policy, much of the greenbelt area that surrounds the city is in county jurisdiction and often is designated agricultural or open space by the county.
“The city supports these land-use designations and discourages any further subdivision of existing parcels unless such subdivision is expressly part of strategy to permanently preserve agriculture and/or open space,” according to SLO’s General Plan.
“The city does not support further subdivision of land within the city’s greenbelt area; however, if any new lots are permitted, they should be a minimum of 20 acres in size or greater,” the General Plan notes.
Trevor Keith, the county’s director of Planning and Building, said any new development under county jurisdiction would require a zoning change from its designation of agricultural land with a General Plan amendment and a development application.
“Any zoning modifications would most likely require an environmental impact report,” Keith said. “... No land-use application has been submitted (for the ranch) at this point.”
It’s unclear why the family is interested in selling the land, but according to a Zillow listing, the property’s “foreclosure” tab indicates the ranch is in default with $113,343 past due and a $3.75 million loan issued in 2018.
The seller’s agent, Jason Hart, did not return a call for comment.
Land-use considerations
The property is near popular recreational areas around Laguna Lake, and a trail that connects the lake area to Cerro San Luis is near the property, but it isn’t on the private land and wouldn’t be affected by future use after a purchase, according to the city.
A stream runs along the Foothill frontage of the property “with several intermittent streams running from Cerro San Luis to the lake,” Hart said in a Facebook post.
“The ranch is nestled between the base of Cerro San Luis along the northern property line and encompasses a portion of Laguna Lake to the southeast section,” Hart said in the same post.
Hart noted the property has various possibilities, including offering “a new buyer the chance to reconfigure the parcels into a variety of layouts through lot line adjustments, versus having to go through a lengthy mapping process.”
“Much smaller ranches in the area that have been annexed into the city and rezoned have sold for over four times the asking price of this opportunity,” Hart said.
Contacted Friday, a representative of the nonprofit Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, which works to conserve land in San Luis Obispo County, said that it’s a “a beautiful ranch and a classic part of the San Luis region.”
“The Land Conservancy hasn’t been approached by the current owners or other potential buyers about the ranch,” said Kyle Walsh, the organization’s conservation director. “We would be open to discussions with a current or future owner should they reach out to the Conservancy. However, we only work with willing landowners who have approached us with an interest in conservation.”
This story was originally published July 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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