EREY WITH
THE TOP STORY.
CAITLIN: THE PLAN IS TO RESTORE
THE LAND TO
PREVENT FLOODING AND
TO PRESERVE IT AS OPEN SPACE.
>> I'M CLINT EASTWOOD, FORMER
MAYOR OF CARMEL AND FORMER
LANDOWNER.
CAITLIN: CLINT EASTWOOD'S LOVE
FOR THE CENTRAL COAST GOES BACK
TO THE 1950'S.
>> MY FIRST TRIP INTO TOWN AND
THE VICINITY, I JUST DECIDED
THAT THIS IS A PLACE I'D LOVE TO
COME BACK AND BE FOR THE REST OF
MY LIFE.
CAITLIN: PRESERVING THE LAND IS
A BIG REASON WHY HE AND MAGGIE
EASTWOOD DONATED 79 ACRES OF
THEIR ODELLO EAST PROPERTY TO
THE BIG SUR LAND TRUST.
THE GIFT COMING ALMOST 20 YEARS
AFTER THEY GAVE THE FIRST 49
ACRES SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN IN
BLUE.
>> THANK YOU, EASTWOODS, FOR
MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
CAITLIN: THE LAND STRETCHES FROM
THE RIVER TO THE BEACH AND BIG
SUR LAND TRUST PLANS TO REMOVE
THE LEVY, ADD NEW FLOOD CHANNELS
AND RESTORE THE NATURAL
FLOODPLAIN.
>> ALL THAT IS BRINGING THIS
RIVER WATERSHED BACK INTO A
PLACE WHERE IT WILL BE A MODEL
FOR THE REST OF THE STATE.
CAITLIN: IT WILL ALSO PROTECT
THE AREA FROM DEVASTATING
FLOODING LIKE IT SAW IN 1995 AND
1998.
>> IT TOOK OUT THE WHOLE
NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN THERE AND
ACROSS THE INTERSECTION.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EXPENSES.
>> THIS IS THE GATEWAY TO BIG
SUR.
CAITLIN: THE GIFT HAS TAKEN TWO
DECADES TO GIVE BECAUSE FUNDS
HAD TO BE RAISED FOR THE
PROJECTS AND THE WATER
ENTITLEMENTS HAD TO BE SORTED
OUT.
THE EASTWOODS KEPT SOME OF THE
PROPERTY'S WATER AND FORMED THE
MAL PASO WATER COMPANY WHICH
WILL SELL WATER TO PEOPLE
WANTING TO BUILD ON EXISTING
LOTS OF RECORD IN THE CARMEL
AREA.
>> THIS WAY ACTUALLY HE WILL
STILL BE MAKING MONEY, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT, BUT THEN THE PROPERTY
CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC AND HE IS
COMPENSATED ACCORDINGLY.
CAITLIN: BUT FOR EASTWOOD, THE
REAL MOTIVATION FOR GIVING THE
LAND SEEMS TO BE KEEPING THE
CENTRAL COAST AS IS.
>> THAT WAY WHEN I COME BACK TO
IT, IT ALWAYS LOOKS THE SAME.
IN OTHER WORDS, THESE FIELDS
NOW, IF I CAME ALONG AND SAW A
DEVELOPMENT THERE, THAT WOULD
BREAK MY HEART, YOU KNOW.
CAITLIN: CLINT AND MAGGIE
EASTWOOD HAVE A LONG HISTORY
OF PREVENTING DEVELOPMENT IN
MONTEREY COUNTY.
THEY SAID THAT WHEN THEY SOLD
THE MAL PASO CREEK AREA, AND IN
THE PAST WHEN THEY FIRST GAVE
THE GIFT OF THE YELLOW PROPERTY.
