ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SONOMA COAST VISITOR & ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Chanslor Wildlife is creating the 'Sonoma Coast Visitor & Environmental Center' at Chanslor Ranch on approximately 15 acres of the 378 acre property as part of a the ranch expansion plan submitted to Sonoma County PRMD in 2004.
THE PROPERTY
The historic Chanslor Ranch has been a well known guest ranch and wetlands wildlife preserve on the Sonoma Coast in Bodega Bay for over 40 years. The ranch has been uniquely designated since the creation of the State Coastal Plan and the Sonoma County General Plan in the early 1970’s as visitor serving and for guest ranch expansion.
Begining in 1973, and expanded in 1993, environmental education and conservation activities became
a significant part of the activities on the property under the management of Chanslor Wildlife, LLC. Currently vacation rentals, events, agriculture, aquaculture and public recreation, such as horseback riding & fishing, are the primary sources of revenue for environmental programs. Activities Directory
VISITOR SERVING NEEDS ON THE SONOMA COUNTY COAST
There is currently no single location on the heavily visited Sonoma County Coast that has the ability
to be a showcase for Sonoma County's history, agriculture, environmental assets and Native American history. Chanslor Ranch has been a destination for Bay Area residents and visitors to Sonoma County
decades. State Parks estimates 3 million annual visitors to the Sonoma Coast State Parks and the protected property totaling over 10,000 acres which surrounds Chanslor Ranch. Chanslor Ranch has a
high visibility location on Coast Hwy 1; a current visitor serving use; significant established programs for environmental education, conservation and Native American history; a designation for expanded visitor serving use and the proximity to additional visitor serving and emergency facilities less than one mile away in Bodega Bay. In addition a 330 acre portion of the 378 acre property will be designated a preserve and formally protected with an easement.
THE BUSINESS PARTNERS PROGRAM
The 'Business Partners Program' was established in 1995 to co-venture with businesses interested
in sponsoring and/or operating environmental education and visitor serving programs on the property consistent with the environmental and agriculture preservation goals for Chanslor Ranch. Expansion
of this program is an integral part of the creation of the Sonoma Coast Visitor & Environmental Center
at Chanslor Ranch.
For 2010, the Business Partners' Program will designate business employees as Wildlife Members which provides access privileges, discounts on current recreational activities such as horseback riding and fishing, and admission to special events at Chanslor Ranch.
THE SONOMA COAST VISITOR & ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER AT CHANSLOR RANCH 2010-2013
Components of the SCVE Center development include the following:
1. PHASE 1- EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS ON THE PROPERTY
Over the past 15 years we have received significant financial support from PG&E, Chevron and
General Motors for the environmental education program at Chanslor Ranch. For June of 2009,
Codding Steel Frame Solutions is producing for Tortoise Shell Homes, mobile wildlife observation stations, with solar power, which will be placed at Chanslor Ranch and used to expand the interpretive programs and generate additional revenue for the interpretive programs. This production is taking place
in the 50,000 sf completely solar powered Codding production facility at Sonoma Mountain Village in Cotati, CA. We expect a major use of both steel frame technology and alternative energy in the construction of facilities to be part of the SCVE Center. Program contributors and insititutions
2. PHASE 2 - CONSTRUCTION OF A COMMON AREA BUILDING OF APPROXIMATELY 4,500 sf
This facility will be used to serve visitors to the ranch which currently number between 40,000 and
50,000 per year. It will include interior/exterior displays for wetlands habitat, Native American and
human history and will provide visitor information for the Sonoma County Coast. The trail system
which would lead from this facility is already in place. Native American historical displays relative to
the Sonoma Coast would be housed in this building until a future Native American wing is constructed. Housing for staff already exists on the property.
3. PHASE 3 - AGRICULTURAL CENTER OF APPROXIMATELY 5,000 sf
Chanslor Wildlife has undertaken signficant projects with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding sustainable ranching on this property and another ranch facility. The intention is to develop a showcase for these practices which involve sediment control, fencing programs, replanting of native plants and the re-inroduction of coho salmon. Composting and waste water management presentations would also be
included. .
In addition to showcasing grass fed beef produced on the property, the Agriculture center would also plan to include the Sonoma Coast Wine Center. We have had preliminary discussion with Sonoma County PRMD regarding the placement of a small winery on the property as part of this program.
4. PHASE 4 - EXPANDED ACCOMODATIONS
In 2004, an application was submitted to the Sonoma County PRMD for an expansion of the guest
ranch to 30 rooms plus employee housing in approximately 24,000sf of structures. Modifications to that plan are underway. It is intended that the guest room portion of the expansion be a joint venture with a hospitality operator under a land lease. Interpretive facilities would be operated in conjunction with
educational institutions that have conducted anthropolgy and environmental education programs on the property. The draft site plan below is for the 5 acre Main Guest Ranch area in the aerial photo above
