Nudist Community Challenges New Management Rules in Court

Longtime residents of Olive Dell Ranch, a historic nudist retreat in San Bernardino County, are taking legal action after the new owners mandated clothing, ending more than 70 years of the nudist lifestyle.

Founded in 1952, Olive Dell Ranch served as a sanctuary for naturists, featuring amenities like RV sites, a clubhouse, pool, trails, and a restaurant—built on principles of body acceptance and harmony with nature. However, following its purchase in 2019, the new owners declared a shift to a “textile” operation, requiring residents to wear clothes at all times, a move they see as a profound cultural change.

The lawsuit, filed in California state court, accuses the management—Mark Glasier, Brian Cleland, and Tina Coffelt—of violating civil rights by mocking residents, increasing rents, threatening eviction, and neglecting the property’s maintenance. The suit highlights the deterioration of facilities, including a green pool, closed sauna and restaurant, cancelled community events, and water issues leaving residents without drinking water during fire season.

Residents have had to repair infrastructure themselves, managing overgrown roads and damaged amenities. The complaint alleges that the owners aimed to displace the community, many of whom are seniors, veterans, and disabled individuals, by implementing higher utility costs and poor services to push residents out.

Current and former residents of an erstwhile nudist resort are filing suit against the new owners who required they wear clothing. — Previous residents of Olive Dell Ranch are suing the new owners over the clothing mandates and deteriorating conditions.

The lawsuit also addresses allegations of elder financial abuse, arguing that many longtime tenants, particularly retirees on fixed incomes, face higher bills, subpar services, and threats of eviction. Residents intervened to maintain the property amidst neglect until the official announcement of the clothing requirement threatened their community’s identity.

For naturists, nudity is a philosophy of body acceptance and connection with nature, not a fetish. The enforced clothing policy is viewed as an infringement akin to forcing a religious community to abandon rituals.

Nudists say living clothes-free is liberating, offering body acceptance and a sense of harmony with nature. — Supporters argue that living without clothing promotes body positivity and harmony with nature.

The residents seek damages and an injunction to restore Olive Dell as a nudist park, defending their rights and cultural heritage. The management’s motives appear to be aimed at land value increase by dismantling the community’s core principles.