I loved the old days of "boat only" access. That was long ago under very different conditions. Back then fuel was a lot cheaper, and there weren't all that many of us in boats those days.
Now if everybody living slightly outside of town was using a boat instead of a road we'd have no end of noise, the inevitable bit of oil and fuel pollution in the water, congestion on the water where we'd really like to swim and kayak --- and where would all these boats park when they go to town (remember we have a whole other movement of anti-pier people out there). If you were a resident who liked it quiet (I fit that description) and had a golf cart (which I do), you'd find that carts are slow, fuel efficient and VERY easily broken to bits by a bad road. The cost of upkeep is astronomical if you have nothing but ruts. Add to that the whole environmental/world-economic issue of fossil fuel (outboards get MAYBE 5 miles to the gallon of gas) and ..... well, I think we have to accept the inevitability of this change.

For those who like the no-road environment, there is still a LOT of island to choose from. Robles is heavenly, and the leeward side of the island is very magical as well.