Point Dume access road and parking lot reopens after storm damage

lot, and restrooms.

The beach itself remained open, but there was no vehicle access beyond the end of Westward Beach Road.

ment of Beaches and Harbors Public Information Specialist Nicole Mooradian said erosion is caused by a combination of wave action and high tides.

By SAMANTHA BRAVO

Beachgoers once again enjoyed an afternoon stroll through Point Dume after erosion that took place last month.

Earlier last month, the entrance to Point Dume parking lot was heavily eroded and at risk of collapse after the rainstorms. The City of Malibu announced the closure on Jan. 20, due to hazardous conditions to the access road, parking

The County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors has been repairing the site and recently opened it to the public on Feb. 11.

“Keep off the Rocks” signs were placed along the road where officials placed boulders to prevent further damage.

During construction, officials with Beaches and Harbors closed the road to vehicles and pedestrians. County of Los Angeles Depart-

“Without the high tides, the strong surf would not have caused as much damage, and vice versa,” Mooradian said in an email to The Malibu Times.

Mooradian said “the last time she checked,” an estimated 700 trucks loaded large boulders onto the site.

In terms of working with other departments and organizations, Mooradian said they are in communication with organizations such as The Bay Foundation for dune restoration projects.

“We are actively working with The Bay Foundation on dune restoration projects along the coast,” Mooradian said. “Regarding Point Dume in particular, I know we’ve offered assistance, but I don’t know if concrete plans have been established.”

The Bay Foundation works on a range of projects and initiatives across the Santa Monica Bay and its watershed to restore natural habitats both on land and underwater, address climate change, clean up waterways, create green spaces in urban areas, and more.

The Bay Foundation implemented The Malibu Living Shoreline Project (MLSP) in winter of 20202021, in partnership with the City of Malibu, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. The project aims to restore approximately three acres of sandy beaches and dune habitat at Zuma Beach and Point Dume Beach. This project will provide multiple ecosystem benefits such as shoreline stabilization and habitat for native flowering plants and shorebirds. The last volunteer event the organization hosted at Point Dume was last year in April in honor of Earth Day. These projects are multi-benefit, which helps improve the coastal resiliency of beaches and by restoring the shoreline, it helps sand act as a buffer towards sea-level rise and coastal erosion.

This isn’t the first time the beach has been damaged due to big waves and strong currents.

In 2021, the access road that connects the entrance on Westward Beach Road to the beach parking lots was impassable after high tides caused the parking lot to collapse.

Mooradian said the City of Malibu, local residents, and visitors can help maintain the beaches by volunteering for restoration projects and as simple as throwing trash away.

“Erosion is not an issue that can be ‘solved’ on an individual level; however, we always encourage everyone to be respectful of the local marine environment,” Mooradian said. “Volunteering for habitat restoration projects, avoiding damaged and/or closed areas, and even just picking up extra trash on the beach all contribute to a healthier coast.”

Organizations such as Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds safe, clean, and healthy, recently created a Storm Response Team, in response to the recent storms. Heal the Bay’s Storm Response Team acts as the “Last Line of Defense.” A team of dedicated volunteers take action and remove garbage washed out of the storm drain system and local waterways before it reaches the ocean. Heal the Bay uses science, education, community action, and advocacy to fulfill its mission.

Heal the Bay also provides self-guided cleanup tips for storm and atmospheric river conditions response. The top outfall locations include Zuma Beach.

To find restoration or volunteer events, visit healthebay.org and the Bay Foundation at santamonicabay. org.

For more information on the damage and erosion, call Beaches and Harbors at (424) 526-7777.

Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority’s (MRCA) 23.71-acre LauberSmith Property. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains about 9 miles northwest of the Sea View Hotel site, it’s within the coastal zone of unincorporated LA County, adjacent to Ramirez Canyon Park, and just outside Malibu city limits off Kanan Road. MRCA plans to develop flameless campground facilities there that include tent pad sites, parking, restrooms, and picnic areas.

In addition, hotel property owners have entered into a contract to donate $250,000 to the nonprofit Los Courage Camps and its work of providing free surf lessons and transportation to beaches in the Malibu area for children in underserved communities in the

Topanga, which will provide access to an additional 4 million gallons of water in an emergency.

Haynie also agreed to hire union hotel workers from the Hospitality Workers’ Union Local 11, whose representatives showed up at Malibu’s public hearings on this project.

Besides Haynie, at least eight other long-time residents and officials from Malibu spoke in favor of the hotel project. Bill Curtis pointed out that the new hotel will bring in over a million dollars per year in revenue from Transient Occupancy Taxes. Some say this would make up for any shortfall that may occur if the city manages to restrict short-term rentals.

Other speakers, including Jefferson

Grisanti, lauded the project for getting rid of the “visual blight” of the gas station and water system upgrades that will help fight fires.

The only speaker opposing the project was attorney Marshall Camp, representing the Mani Brothers Real Estate Group, owners of the Malibu Beach Inn. He described the project as an example of “throwing deliberate planning out the window … disregarding FAR limits ... and engaging in ‘illegal spot zoning.’”

Speaker Wiseman responded that they “just didn’t want competition for the Malibu Beach Inn ... and were afraid it would place downward pressure on room rates.” parcels will be merged into one parcel totaling 1.18 acres, known as the Sea View Hotel site.

The commission also approved a new Sea View Hotel Overlay District with special development standards just for this project that increase the allowable floor area ratio from 0.15 to 0.52 (ratio of total built floor area to the size of the site). For that variance, the developer will pay the city $800,000 to be spent as City Council sees fit.

A key issue for the Coastal Commission was whether 15 percent of the rooms would be designated as “lowercost” rooms as required. In lieu of offering “low-cost” rooms, property owners are

The services will be available to students regardless of insurance coverage.

A spokesperson for Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District told The Malibu Times that the district’s Director of Student Services Tara Brown had attended the virtual LACOE meeting with Hazel Health last week and followed up by expressing interest in SMMUSD’s participation.

“We (SMMUSD) will be part of the program’s Cohort 2, starting in the fall,” according to the spokesperson. “In the near future, the Board of Education will approve the Memo of Understanding (MOU) with Hazel Health based on staff recommendation so we may get set up to launch in the fall.”

The district pointed out that it already offers “robust [mental health] services and resources for our students” … “In Malibu, the Malibu Boys & Girls Club Wellness Center is a big partner for us in offering mental health services and programming to our students ... But we’re looking forward to adding additional services through a partnership with Hazel Health.”

The SMMUSD website recognizes that, “Students struggling with emotional / interpersonal issues, traumatic experiences and/or symptoms of depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, etc., can experience challenges with school attendance, behavior, and academics.”

Once the school district has officially enrolled in the Hazel Health program, LACOE and Hazel Health will provide information to parents and students on how they can start services.

LA County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo told a press conference last week that the need for these services has always existed, but has become more necessary since the pandemic.

“We also know that there have been other societal challenges, such as the violence we saw last week, and these are things that our children have to learn how to cope with as they continue their education,” she said.

Others point to the stress of climate change, racial injustice, income inequality, as well as other factors, like the Woolsey Fire here in Malibu, which all have an impact on young people’s mental health.

According to Gov. Newsom’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, in California, “66 percent of kids with depression do not receive treatment.”

The state is seeing an influx of federal money intended to help address the youth mental health crisis. LA Care Health Plan and Health Net have set aside up to $24 million over the next two years for the telehealth services. That funding comes from the state’s Student Behavioral Health Incentive Program.

The Hazel Health platform will allow K-12 students to get access to virtual therapy with California-licensed therapists. The company says roughly 60 percent of its therapists are people of color and some 30 percent are bilingual. The services will be available virtually, both at school and at home. Students can check out an iPad or log in from their own smartphone or other device.

The LAist website reported that “Parents will be able to message their child’s therapist at any time through Hazel Health’s app in order to get a summary of progress, but will not get a full report of the session’s notes or specific details.”

Referrals will be accepted from a parent, guardian, school counselors, and other school staff. As of now, referrals cannot come from an outside physician nor other provider.