Clay Fountain was one of many Coastsiders I interviewed in 1980-81 for a documentary called “The Mystery of Half Moon Bay”.
Here are more of Clay’s comments. (See the earlier post for more information on his background).
–The Coastal Commission–
“I think the Coastal Commission has worked quite well although I know a lot of resentment has built up against it recently.
“The opponents of Prop 20 weren’t able to deflect it at the polls and so then they set up about working at it, in all sorts of other ways, at local levels, running advertising, getting groups together which sometimes misrepresent what the Coastal Commission is trying to do.
“In the interim the Coastal Commission has tended to soften some of its attitudes somewhat.
“And I disagree with that.
“I think they shouldn’t have softened under this underground and sometimes open attacks by people who are interested in getting richer, getting fatter and having more power.
–Coastside Roads–
“I’m perfectly happy with the roads the way they are.
“I think Devil’s Slide is dangerous and I would agree to having a bypass on the other side of the mountain—but not a massive freeway.
“Like we try to get off our side street on a Saturday or Sunday and sometimes you gotta wait 20 minutes before you find a break in traffic.
-Coastside Fog—
“Enduring fog is worth it to me because there are so many aspects…I can hear the surf pounding at night and I can hear the sea fowl calling down there and there’s a school of smelt or anchovies and I can hear the wind in the trees.”
-Newcomers-
“I find that they [newcomers] change after they get here…they become excited about the coastside and wish that so many more wouldn’t come…
“I was a naturalist and I loved the outdoors and a clean environment from the time I was a child. I’ve spent time in big cities and I don’t like big cities…”
-Environmental Movement-
“My feeling is that the ecology and environmental movement is growing. It’s growing steadily and will one day be the cause of a spiritual rebirth…
“I think we’re marking time. There’s population trickling in. The sewer plant is now going to be built but there’s been some limits put on what can happen with the sewer plant.
“I think there will bew a continuing increase in the population but we’ll still be able to keep it under what the developers want to do……”