Who maintains the pavement between the Running Deer Ranch main gate and your driveway, and who pays when it needs work? For most homes in North County, the answer is the county or the city. Behind the Running Deer gate on Chimney Rock Road, the answer is two private organizations working from one shared plan, and that plan is designed to cost more every year through 2030.
A buyer here joins a cost schedule that's already written down, and the money in it is aimed at a known weakness: there are few ways in and out of this part of Lake Nacimiento when a fire comes through. Several lake permissions also don't come with the deed. They have to be applied for again after closing.
Two Organizations, One Gate
Running Deer Ranch has three sections. Running Deer Ranch #1 runs from Aluffo Road to the boat ramp. #2 runs from the Main Gate on Chimney Rock Road to Town Creek. #3, called South Running Deer, sits across Chimney Rock Road. All three get to the lake and the boat ramp through the same Main Gate.
Road upkeep is split between two groups:
| Road segment | Maintained by |
|---|---|
| Aluffo Road to the boat ramp | SLO County Running Deer Ranch Company, Inc. |
| Running Deer Road, Main Gate to the Gage Irving "Y" | South Nacimiento Road Association |
| Gage Irving Road to Town Creek | South Nacimiento Road Association |
The Running Deer Ranch Company was originally formed in 1977 to protect one thing: a recreational easement next to the boat ramp, known as the Point. In 1983 the corporation took its current name, and its stated purpose became preserving the Point easement and maintaining the roads so members can reach it. Its dues are collected each April and set every year at the general meeting on Memorial Day weekend. One rule matters to buyers planning to share ownership. The bylaws set identical dues for each family, so a property owned by two separate families pays dues twice.
Running Deer owners pay part of their dues to the South Nacimiento Road Association, or SNRA, to cover their share of the main roads. The SNRA also serves other member groups, including Cal Shasta, Private Owners, South Shore and Tri Counties. Each group has its own representatives on the board. According to the Running Deer Ranch Company's own site, cooperation between the owners and the SNRA turned these roads from dirt into pavement over the last 15 years.
A Road Budget That Rises on Schedule
In August 2025, the SNRA board approved a five-year maintenance and assessment plan. It lists two assessment rates each year, one for Running Deer Ranch members and one for everyone else:
| Year | RDR assessment | All other members | Major planned work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $201 | $605 | Chip and seal |
| 2027 | $221 | $666 | Chip and seal |
| 2028 | $243 | $733 | Chip and seal, oiling, emergency exit road |
| 2029 | $267 | $806 | Oiling, emergency exit road |
| 2030 | $294 | $886 | Oiling |
The plan calls for a 10% increase each year, and the board reviews it annually. At its August 9, 2026 meeting, the board followed the plan and voted for a $60 increase that brings the annual assessment to $665 for 2026–27. That figure lines up with the plan's "all other members" column. The plan sets a separate, lower Running Deer rate. A buyer should get the exact Running Deer figure in writing from the associations before closing. The proposed 2026–27 budget went to a member vote at the October 11 general meeting at the Cal Shasta Clubhouse.
This year's money has already turned into work on the ground. Ferravanti Paving patched and chip sealed SNRA roads August 10 through 14, followed by seal coating on August 19 and 20 with long road closures. Between March and July 2026, the association brought in $187,933 in assessments and ended July with a balance of $254,854.74, which lines up with a big paving season. Aluffo Road is maintained by the Running Deer Ranch Company and was finished for the year by May. Only minor patching and possibly a chip seal were still under discussion. At that meeting the roads chair said ground squirrels undermining the road edges were an ongoing problem.
Why the Plan Gets Expensive in 2028
The largest single item in the five-year plan isn't paving. It's a line called "Major Project – Emergency Exit Road," budgeted at $180,053 for 2028 and $137,963 for 2029. The plan's note for 2029 reads "Emergency Exit project completed this year." The plan doesn't describe the route. The Running Deer Ranch Company's current rules do mention an existing "emergency exit" reached by Gage Irving Road. A buyer should ask the SNRA how the planned project relates to that route.
CAL FIRE's May 2026 strategic fire plan for the San Luis Obispo Unit shows why the money is aimed here. Its entry for Running Deer Ranch lists limited emergency access in and out, extended response times, steep terrain, heavy continuous brush, and "nonrated bridges that fire equipment cannot cross." It also notes heavy dead and downed debris left from two major fires, including the 2016 Chimney Fire, which started in Running Deer Ranch. Its recommendations include road clearance, fuel reduction, prescribed burns and defensible-space inspections. The full plan is posted by the State Fire Marshal.
Several other projects are going after the same problem from different directions:
- Chimney Rock Road bridge. San Luis Obispo County is building a permanent two-lane bridge over Franklin Creek to replace a temporary one-lane bridge. Traffic is using a detour with temporary signals and a 15-mph limit, and the County expects to finish in winter 2026. KSBY reported in April that construction was underway and expected to run late into 2026.
- Roadside tree cutting. In August, the SNRA reported that a grant to cut trees back 5 feet from the road and 20 feet up along its roads had been approved but wasn't funded yet. A separate request covers the same work on Chimney Rock Road.
- Firewise hours. The Running Deer Ranch Company asks owners to log their Firewise work on a tracking form to help the community qualify for state grant money. The May minutes said chipping would also be offered.
- Emergency texts. The SNRA dropped its phone tree in favor of the SNRA411 text alert system, which had about 300 subscribers in August.
So the yearly increase works like a slow savings plan for a second way out. A buyer comparing Running Deer to a lot with county-maintained roads is comparing two different ways of paying for access.
What Has to Be Re-Earned After Closing
Several things a seller has now don't automatically pass to you. Here's the order to request them in:
- Gate code and a physical gate key. The Main Gate is electric and needs a code. New owners need proof of ownership to get one. The Running Deer Ranch information page says it's "IMPERATIVE" to also have a physical Main Gate key so you can open the gate by hand when the power is out, and you should get one from the seller or the treasurer. In August 2026, the SNRA added Starlink, a camera and a keypad at the gate that can be managed remotely. Existing keypads and gate clickers still work.
- A Point Key. This is issued only after you sign a CUP and pay your annual dues. At the May 2026 meeting, 13 of the Point's 14 posts were paid up, one was open, and three people were on the waitlist.
- A new dock license. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency, which owns the reservoir, updated its dock program in 2025. Dock licenses don't transfer. A new owner is issued a new license, and docks that don't meet current standards, such as ones in poor condition or with improper flotation, may not qualify. Renewals are due April 1. The Agency must be listed as the certificate holder on your homeowner's insurance, with at least $500,000 in personal liability coverage. The Running Deer Ranch Company's dock owner notice for docks moored at the Point also asks for proof of insurance naming the Point landowner and the corporation as additional insureds. That notice still quotes an older $100,000 minimum, so check the current requirement with the Agency.
- Resident vessel status. Running Deer Ranch already qualifies as a community for the County's Lake Nacimiento Resident Vessel Program. The program lets boats kept at a lakeside home skip repeat mussel screenings, but each owner has to apply individually and take a one-hour Mussel Awareness Class.
If You Plan to Bring In a Home
Buyers planning to place a manufactured or modular home on vacant land have one more requirement to budget for. The Running Deer Ranch Company's April 2026 delivery policy requires 30 days' notice to the board. Two weeks before delivery, you need either a $10,000 cashier's check or a transport company that names both the Running Deer Ranch Company and the SNRA as additional insureds. The check is refundable, minus any cost to repair damage to the roads or gate. You also pay $25 an hour for an observer who photographs the route before and during delivery. CAL FIRE is notified, and traffic is sent toward Gage Irving Road and the emergency exit while the home is moving. The deposit protects the same roads the SNRA plan pays to chip seal.
Quick Answers
Is the $665 SNRA figure what a Running Deer owner pays? The five-year plan sets a separate, lower rate for Running Deer members. Ask both associations for the current amounts in writing.
When does the Running Deer Ranch Company set its dues? Every year at the general meeting on Memorial Day weekend. Dues are collected in April.
Does a dock come with the sale? The dock structure can be sold, but the license can't. The buyer applies to the Water Resources Agency, and the seller files a Notice of Sale and Release of Liability.
This post is general information, not legal, insurance or financial advice. Please confirm association obligations, dock licensing and coverage for your own property with the associations, the Agency and your own professionals.
If you're looking at a parcel behind the Running Deer gate, I'm glad to help you request the association figures, the gate and Point paperwork, and the dock requirements before your contingencies run out. Reach out to Michael Aanerud and let's connect.
