A housing development has opened 38 homesites for sale in an agricultural preserve of oak woodlands in Santa Margarita.
The “heritage homesites” located on a handful of more than 3,000 acres of conserved agricultural land will go on sale starting Tuesday after around two decades of development, according to a news release from the development.
The 38 undeveloped properties included in the first phase of the Preserve at Santa Margarita Ranch are up to two acres is size and are the first part of a planned 111-home buildout, according to a release from the development.
Each lot owner will be able to design and build their own home on the two-acre lots.
Located around 10 miles from San Luis Obispo and Atascadero, the homesites are integrated into a 3,621-acre Agricultural Conservation Easement that protects the surrounding coastal oak woodlands and California grasslands in perpetuity.
From left, Santa Margarita Ranch owners Karl Wittstrom, Rob Rossi, Steve Rossi and Doug Filipponi announced a new 38-homesite development going on sale Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
That easement is located in the larger 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch property, which is also home to around 1,000 acres of sustainably grown grapevines, according to the release.
The preserve was created under San Luis Obispo County’s Agricultural Cluster standards, which balance planned development with agricultural preservation.
Owned by San Luis Obispo County residents Doug Filipponi, Rob Rossi and Karl Wittstrom since 1999, the new development’s homesites will become available to purchase on Tuesday, though the project is not yet developed.
“As farmers and ranchers ourselves, we have a vested interest in preserving this land’s rich heritage and natural character,” Wittstrom said in the release. “These homesites will help keep this beautiful ranch locally owned and viable for generations to come.”
Prospective residents and their real estate agents may contact Chris Richardson at Richardson Properties at 805-801-9091 or chris@richardsonproperties.com.