Our shared mission is to protect and defend the rural and residential character, and to preserve the natural and aesthetic beauty of the Big Sur coast; to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the Big Sur community; to encourage community service and otherwise act in the interests of the residents and property owners of Big Sur.
Big Sur is built on community. It is a place of beauty, strength, and creativity, and together we face repeated and unique challenges, from wildfires and landslides to long-term road closures. Our resilience comes from working side by side to adapt to climate change and prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters together.
As a global tourist destination, highway safety is an ongoing challenge. We strive to balance welcoming visitors with protecting the environment, sustaining local businesses, and caring for our community’s well-being.
CABS is of and for this community. We work alongside neighbors, government, philanthropy, and the private sector to empower local voices and navigate these complex challenges: delivering crucial disaster relief and support; advocating for long-term, affordable community housing solutions; promoting wildfire resilience; and seeking collaborative strategies for visitation management across the highway corridor, the backcountry, and our beloved coastal trails and beaches.
While CABS primarily serves the Big Sur community, what happens here impacts all of Monterey County and beyond. When Highway 1 closes due to wildfire or landslides, it divides our community and causes regional economic losses estimated at $6.2 million per month in room revenue and $651,000 in Transient Occupancy Tax. The ripple effects are felt throughout the state of California, affecting businesses, workers, and public services far beyond Big Sur.
Beyond highway disruptions, CABS works collaboratively on county-wide efforts to manage impacts of growing visitation, supporting balanced solutions that benefit both residents and the region. We are a trusted stakeholder, actively engaged in Caltrans stakeholder calls, Big Sur Incident Command during disasters, and as an Advisory Committee member of Monterey County’s Community Organizations Active in Disasters.
By ensuring Big Sur’s challenges are addressed strategically, CABS supports not just local residents, but the broader well-being of Monterey County and beyond.
I am thankful to CABS for their solution-oriented leadership in serving the people who live and work in Big Sur. During the last decade, Big Sur has endured numerous challenges related to fire and storm damage, highway closures, increased visitation and limited infrastructure and housing. CABS has responded with care and concern to these challenges. They have served as a catalyst to identify and implement strategies for surviving the present, while creating a roadmap for an enduring and successful future. They have modeled inclusiveness, community engagement and involvement, and collaboration with various agencies and governmental entities. They have advocated for the people of Big Sur while protecting the precious beauty of this region. By supporting CABS, you are honoring the legacy and beauty of Big Sur and contributing to the future sustainability of this wondrous area.
- Tim Bills (Title: Coordinator, Big Sur Station, Los Padres Forest Association), Big Sur Resident
