Livermore Ranch May Become California's Newest State Park

LIVERMORE, CA — If Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials get their wishes, an expansive ranch property in Livermore could become California's newest state park.

Bay Area legislators have been urging the governor to appropriate $20 million to help buy N3 Ranch, a nearly 51,000-acre property which has a Livermore address but stretches into four counties.

The historic ranch was listed for sale in July 2019 for $72 million. Buyers from around the world have expressed interest in the ranch, which includes pristine wilderness home to elk, deer and hundreds of species of birds as well as a crucial source of drinking water for Bay Area residents, the Los Angeles Times reported.

On Friday, Gov. Newsom seemed to heed the legislators' demands when he asked the state to set aside $20 million to purchase new public parkland, although he didn't specify which land. The state's contribution would be paired with a $30 million commitment secured by the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land, the Times reported.

The state will need to compete with other prospective buyers, some of whom are already qualified to purchase the property, a real estate broker in charge of the property told the Times.

If the state does manage to purchase the ranch, it would become one of California's largest public parks.