California is in the land market to create a new state park. The only questions are — where? And at what price?
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he wants legislative leaders to dedicate $20 million from a one-time budget surplus to help purchase new public parkland, possibly creating one of the largest new state parks in decades.
In his budget briefing, the governor declined to state where the new park might be, suggesting the purchase price could “go up” if he revealed details. But for several days, Bay Area lawmakers have been lobbying the governor to help appropriate $20 million — the exact amount he proposed Friday — to help preserve a legendary property, the N3 Ranch near Livermore.
California state parks officials declined to comment late Friday, but it has been known since Wednesday that funding was coming together to make an offer on the ranch, which covers nearly 51,000 acres of mostly untrammeled Bay Area wilderness that is home to elk, deer and hundreds of species of migrating birds.
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