The Speaker: Greg Bielli, President and CEO of Tejon Ranch
- Greg Bielli is
looking forward to his retirement at the end of this year. He shared the Ranch’s history, current plans for the ranch and some of the challenges. The 270,000-acre parcel was pulled together from Mexican land grants 180 years ago by the Beale family. - It passed through the Chandler family and went public after the depression. It was ultimately listed 25 years ago on the New York Stock Exchange.
- CEQA
- The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was designed to “inform government decisionmakers and the public about the potential environmental effects and to reduce those environmental impacts to the extent feasible.” (lci.ca.gov)
- A few organizations have weaponized CEQA. It now is used to significantly impact up to stopping road, housing and any other project through lawsuits.
- Kern County is a great place to do business and is very supportive as is Antelope Valley. Los Angeles County is less so.
- The outlet mall opened in August 2014 and is 91% occupied.
- Commerce Center
- They have been building spec logistics facilities in the adjacent commerce center. That has been successful also.
- The commerce center has 4000-5000 jobs.
- The current development next to the outlet is the Terra Vista apartment complex. It should open in April or May 2025.
- Tejon is still a working ranch with oil, gas, minerals, film, hunting, farming operations. They have their own waster bank, the Tejon-Castac Water District. (It really is Castac, not Castaic.)