This is Naples, “the city that was never built,” just northwest of Santa Barbara.
An absolutely stunning oceanfront ranch with approximately 1000 acres of mostly flat to rolling useable space. The property includes one mile of ocean frontage, riveting coastal views, access to the famous “Naples” surf break and “Naples” reef, an 18-acre lake with excellent bass fishing, over 220 legal parcels with Certificates of Compliance, and a storied history that stretches back thousands of years. In fact, this is where Santa Barbara was discovered by Juan Cabrillo in 1542.
Mostly undeveloped, the property is known as Naples/Santa Barbara Ranch. It is among the most historically-significant, legally-complex properties ever offered along the California coast. For thousands of years Naples was part of the Chumash territory, with the ancient village of Kuyamu located in the southwest corner of the modern-day ranch. The Chumash ethic of stewardship involved carefully maintaining the land through an understanding of seasonal movement, controlled burns, and prudent harvesting to preserve the balance between coast, valley, and mountain.
The Naples name comes from an ambitious subdivision map from 1888. Streets, blocks, and over 500 individual lots were laid out, but the city was never built due to lack of infrastructure and various economic realities. Legal development rights were established in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, yet large-scale buildout repeatedly stalled as a result of economic cycles, land constraints, and resistance to development from environmental groups and the local community.
Mormann and the Coastal Ranch team are now engaging with buyers whose vision aligns with the land’s history, legal reality, and future. These factors make the ranch the definition of a rare offering.
Naples is a coastal retreat where the wildest dreams for what is possible in life merge into reality, a place where it is easy to imagine holding private surf sessions with friends at a world-class break, fishing for bass in total solitude, exploring trails on horseback, sipping wine while watching the sunset, or creating a plan for descendants to steward the land.
With extensive ocean frontage, vast open spaces, and a fascinating history, Naples/Santa Barbara Ranch could allow a future buyer to establish a lasting, positive legacy and create a paradigm of conservation for future generations.
