WHAT'S IN STORE FOR POINT ARENA? RESIDENTS JOYFUL, WARY OVER CHANGES MONUMENT STATUS WILL BRING
After an exhilarating week that turned the national spotlight on their scenic, rural village -- sending five local residents to the White House and prompting a visit from a sitting Cabinet member -- the people of Point Arena have shifted their gaze to the future.
Focused for so long on protecting the chiseled bluffs at the edge of town by seeking to place the land within the boundaries of the California Coastal National Monument, they look forward with a mixture of hope, pride, jubilation and, yes, a wee bit of angst now that their goal is achieved.
As Interior Secretary Sally Jewell noted Wednesday at a celebration of the monument's newest addition, "You put this place on the map so that other people will come out here and enjoy it."
But after six years of labor to expand the offshore monument onto the land, building a full-fledged political campaign that won over leaders in Washington, D.C., much work lies ahead to ensure the outcome reflects the community's intent.
Even as they embrace the promise of increased tourist traffic and the economic boost expected to come with President Barack Obama's proclamation last week creating the Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal Monument, some community members are concerned about balancing tourism and business development with preservation of the neighborly charms that make the area such a special place to live.
Folks aren't sure what to expect, and no one can tell them. They wonder if they're ready for what comes next.
"Are we going to have 10,000 more visitors this summer, or 500?" shoemaker Aimee Taylor asked.
People, in general, "are wildly stoked," said Nathan Hake, who owns a countertop design and construction firm in town. "People are really proud that other people in the world are recognizing what a treasure this is."
But they're protective, as well, of the biologically rich and spectacular coastal land at issue, of the time they get to spend on it, and of their community, Hake and others said.
Upsetting discovery
One woman said finding litter during a walk on the property last week made her anxious about the degree to which outsiders would appreciate "what a sacred spirit it has."
"It was only a Coke can," Kelley Kieve recalled, "but it really upset me, because it's my most favorite place on earth."
It's perhaps understandable that a community of a few thousand in and around this city of 450 people might be wary of having the world at its door, drawn by land they use and enjoy so much themselves.
Some worry the city doesn't yet have the infrastructure -- enough lodging, restaurants, gas stations and other amenities -- to support a sudden influx of visitors.
At the other extreme, people like real estate agent Bob Jones said they "don't want to be Carmel in 20 minutes."
Locals have seen an increase in visitors already. They attribute it to an improving economy, recent publicity about the monument campaign and, notably, a January story in the New York Times that put Point Arena and the Stornetta lands third on a list of "52 Places to Go in 2014."
Nestled between Gualala and Manchester in a remote corner of Mendocino County about a two-hour drive from Santa Rosa, Point Arena is an incorporated city with a high funk factor and an impressive degree of civic involvement.
The blocklong business district features a blend of old and new -- brightly colored businesses and modest public service buildings anchored by the Arena Theater, a 1928 art deco beauty restored by the community, the well-supported library built into the shell of a historic general store, and the Arena Market & Cafe, a popular natural foods co-op. A few restaurants, some lodging and small service businesses cater to surfers and fishermen down by the wharf.
Economic hardship
But several worn, vacant buildings and a fenced-off, condemned motel speak to the city's hardships and to the challenges residents face in making ends meet.
The routes that link inland tourists to the coast steer most visitors to central Mendocino Coast towns like Mendocino and Fort Bragg. Point Arena is harder to reach.
"When the recession hit, it hit Point Arena really hard," pharmacy clerk Dawn Watson said. "It's a small town. Jobs are scarce. Quite a few businesses closed and never opened up."
But the area is rich in scenic beauty that is now gaining national recognition. A picturesque lighthouse just north of town was built on the promontory that gives the place its name and shapes the coastline that is now part of the 1,100-mile national monument, which protects more than 20,000 offshore reefs, rocks and islands, much of it wildlife habitat.
The receding continent has left a ruggedly sculpted landscape -- arches and seastacks, blocky islands and terraced cliffs that lead out into the tidal zone and the roiling surf among the seabirds and sea lions.
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