New large-lot community in Santa Barbara stays close to nature

Rolling hills and hiking trails are just a stone’s throw away in San Marcos Preserve, a new large-lot community taking shape in the foothills between Santa Barbara and Goleta.

Set within the San Marcos Foothills Preserve, the community has been in the making for more than a decade and features fourteen custom estates ranging from three to 27 acres. The Chadmar Group, which last year unveiled a new community in the Rolling Hills Country Club, is the developer.

Of the three home sites now for sale, each offers at least five acres of grounds, four bathrooms and at least 4,000 square feet of flexible living space. Prices begin at $3 million and run upwards of $4 million.

Newport Beach-based architect Mark Scheurer has been tapped to design the homes, which promise to be seamlessly integrated into the natural setting. Buyers have various plans to choose from: modern farmhouse, California ranch and Spanish/Hacienda, to name a few. All are single-story and can be customized by the buyers as building is completed.

The development is part of the growing “agrihood” trend, which caters to those seeking community, a return to nature and farm-to-table dining. In recent years, similar communities have taken root in various parts of California.

In Northern California, a luxury community set on 600 acres in the Monterey Peninsula has begun selling lots featuring 20 acres of land and costing upwards of $5 million. The development, called Walden Monterey, will include a communal farm, a sunrise yoga platform, a treehouse and Zen meditation gardens.

Four hundred miles Southwest, in Palm Springs, a onetime golf course is being remade in a similar fashion.

The development, called Miralon, features 1,150 home sites that surround the former course, which has been converted into 45 acres of olive groves and community gardens. Olive oil from orchards will be pressed on-site, and food from the community gardens will go straight to residents’ tables.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com | Twitter: @LATHotProperty