Article: IN BIG SUR, ANXIETY GROWS OVER SHRINKING POPULATION

BIG SUR, Calif. - For years, the phrase "Save Big Sur" meant the preservation of the forests and streams high above the Central California coast.

Now it means the people.

"A lot of people bemoan the loss of community," said Kirk Gafill, co-owner of the Nepenthe restaurant on Highway 1. "That's code for fear of the future of Big Sur."

Beset by sky-high real estate prices, rich absentee landowners, restrictions on development, and a shrinking, aging population, many residents fear the community is losing its vitality. With the median price of homes in the region nearly tripling in five years to $1.65 million (one hillside home of 1,200 square feet is on the market for $7 million), and the ...

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