History

1965

The Early Days

The Community Association of Big Sur's (CABS) origin traces back to the early 1960s. Founded in 1965 by a small group of local residents, it was originally known as the Coast Property Owners Association (CPOA).

1970s & 1980s

Throughout the 70s and early 80s, Big Sur faced the looming threat of federal land acquisition. An ongoing fight for local governance and land preservation, the last major attempt to federalize the region in 1986 failed, leaving Big Sur to continue thriving in its wild roots.

1985

CPOA became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1985. Just prior to establishing this status, the Big Sur Land Use Plan was developed, adopted by Monterey County in 1984, and certified by the California Coastal Commission in 1986. This landmark plan aimed to protect Big Sur's unique character, prioritizing the rights of property owners and preserving the region from overdevelopment and public land acquisition.

2001

Expanding our Mission: Community, Resilience, & Destination Stewardship

After a period of inactivity, the organization reemerged in 2001 with a broader mission and a renewed sense of purpose. Originally focused solely on property owners, CPOA expanded its efforts to include renters, caretakers, and employees and began to build a board that represented the entire 70 miles of coastline reflecting each neighboring ridge and the diversity and richness of Big Sur, the core values of the organization.

Over the next two decades CPOA moved from a single issue of land acquisition to an organization focused on community advocacy and engagement. The following outline some important milestones.

2008

Disaster Relief Program was born with the Basin Complex Fire

This program became the foundational piece for all future Big Sur disasters. Relationships strengthened with elected officials, agencies, the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, Big Sur Fire and Big Sur Health Center. CPOA was recognized as a community voice and earned a seat at the Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council (BSMAAC).

2011

Launch of community email notifications

CPOA began sending email updates to keep the Big Sur community informed about road closures, emergency alerts, public meetings, and more, bridging the distance between neighbors and agencies.

2015

CPOA stepped into being a Fiscal Sponsor to support the Big Sur community in mission-aligned collaborative and grassroots efforts by providing a legal and financial umbrella. Some of these later earned their own 501(c)(3) status. Spanning from 2015 - 2025, CPOA/CABS sponsored:

• California Coastal Trail Alignment through Big Sur
• Pfeiffer Beach Pilot Shuttle Program
• Upper Rocky Creek Road Repair
• The Big Share
• Emile Norman Arts Foundation
• Big Sur South Coast Fire Foundation

2018

Formally adopted the name Community Association of Big Sur (CABS)

Butch Kronlund, a thirty year resident and property owner was hired as the first Executive Director and the organization began to reflect a more inclusive and proactive mission centering on community support, resilience, sustainable tourism, and disaster relief.
Preliminary conversations surrounding sustainable tourism began with local stakeholders, ultimately resulting in a Stewardship Plan for Big Sur, and the Big Sur Pledge.

2022

CABS develops the Fire Adapted Big Sur (FABS) Program

This program empowers residents to work together to create safer, more wildfire-resilient neighborhoods.