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SANTA CRUZ – Roland “Beaver” Edwards, operator of the 175-acre Coastside Ranch off Highway 1, heads one of the few remaining privately operated North Coast ranches.

The property, known for its access to the Red, White and Blue Beach where his father Ralph Edwards ran a nudist campground from 1970 until its closure in 2006, is on the international market with an asking price of $35 million.

“With sweeping panoramic Pacific Ocean vistas and access to a secluded beach, this property is characterized as a ‘billionaire’s paradise,’” the property’s listing on Sotheby’s International Realty reads, in part.

The land, about 4 miles west of the city of Santa Cruz border, sits wedged between Wilder Ranch State Park and the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument. It is due to be on the path of the pending regional Coastal Rail Trail corridor. Land Trust of Santa Cruz County Executive Director Stephen Slade said he sees this as a significant opportunity to buy what they say is the last privately-held beach in the county.

The coastal site has drawn numerous inquiries since its nine owners, including Roland Edwards, put the land up for sale in the summer of 2017, Edwards said.

Among those vying to buy the land is the nonprofit Land Trust.

“If you wanted a slice of everything in Santa Cruz, that 170 acres has it. It’s got a beach, it’s got a coastal bluff, it’s got farmland, it’s got Majors Creek, which is a water supply creek for the city of Santa Cruz,” Slade said. “It’s actually got redwoods, including some old growth up in the steep canyons. It’s got views of the bay. It’s a really remarkable property.”

The Land Trust has made two offers on the ranch, including one reaching $18 million, according to Edwards. Slade would not confirm or deny the dollar amount on the offer, saying his organization has decided not to discuss details of their dealings, other than to say it was “way above the appraised value.”

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Edwards said he rejected the Land Trust offerings because he believes that under the nonprofit’s control, the ranch eventually will move to State Parks’ ownership, and he fears a resulting mismanagement. As it stands, Edwards and his wife, Chanté Edwards, spend their time cleaning up human feces, dumped furniture and trash, discarded hypodermic needles, flushed recreational vehicle holding tanks and more.

The largest of Roland Edwards’ concerns, he said, is the far and few between instances of public infrastructure — namely restrooms — for the area.

“I wouldn’t turn over anything to the state park system. And I’m sorry for saying that,” Edwards said. “The bike path is good intentions. Everything is good intentions. But without an infrastructure, you’re blowing it.”

Rumors that Edwards will sell to a developer looking to build condominiums, he said, are not accurate. He also contends that the beach area is a closed-out beach break, rather than a hidden gem for surfing, and that the beach remains public — just not access to it from his land, a working beef-cattle ranch.

“The feedback we’re getting is we’re blocking access to the beach — we’re not,” Chanté Edwards said. “The beach is not for sale. It’s a ranch. We don’t own the beach. It’s not an access issue. It’s a matter of convenience. It’s like many of the coves. They’re tide-dependent, they’re weather-dependent.”

Roland Edwards said his personal vision for the perfect buyer is someone interested in conserving and protecting the land, perhaps restoring it to its historic ranching roots and involving Muwekma Ohlone Tribe descendents. He also cited Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, with a reputation as one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive hotels, as an example of development done right.