Planning Commission reminds city of the ve-year deadline related to Woolsey Fire rebuilds

can,” Peak said. “I think that anyone who has ever had one of these seats has their own take on how they’re balancing those interests and sometimes that’s di erent for everyone but I think people always do a good job so I look forward to working with all of you.” hiring, that is the hardest thing, attracting folks to the city with coastal experience, and we’ve been fortunate with a good majority of this group,” Mollica said. “Oftentimes, it’s folks with little to no experience in the coastal zone and that’s something we work very hard to try to nd.”

By SAMANTHA BRAVO

Former mayor of Malibu Skylar Peak returned to serve as a commissioner during the Planning Commisson meeting on Jan. 17. Peak was appointed by Councilmember Marianne Riggins.

Peak served as mayor from March 2014 to January 2015. Twenty-nine years old at the time, Peak was known to be the youngest person to serve as mayor of Malibu.

“I just want to say I’m looking forward to this role and I just wanted to thank my fellow commissioners for welcoming me to this role and thank all the sta at our city, to keep the public, our community, and our property owners, as happy as they

Daughter Dance this weekend

Registration for the Malibu Pacific Church Father-Daughter Valentine’s Dance is open. This event has sold out weeks in advance in past years and organizers want to make sure that people can get their tickets.

“What better way to serve our community by creating an environment where dads can celebrate with their daughters how BeYOUtiful they are,” Church Pastor Andy VomSteeg wrote.

A fun-filled evening is planned for all ages with facepainting, creating crafts, playing games, eating amazing food, and, of course, dancing. The night promises to create memories for a lifetime! To register visit, malibupacific.church. Contact: Info@malibupacific.church.

PTSA to sponsor screening of film ‘Like’ on Feb. 13 at MHS theatre

Malibu PTSA Council is sponsoring a showing of the film “Like” in both Santa Monica and Malibu, on Feb. 9 and 13. The short film will be followed by a panel discussion of local and national experts on the topic, see the attached flier for more details. Please RSVP at this link to let us know you are coming: https://forms.gle/ X8xMfT36Y16sNyqF9. The annual Malibu High School Masque (talent show) will be on March 2-4.

Planning Director Richard Mollica began the meeting by thanking the City Council.

“We’re very appreciative of the council OKing a budget amendment for the department so that we’re able to get all these consultants here to help out with this,” Mollica said.

e new consultants included Rick Casswell, Allison Cook, Jerry Hittleman, John Kanlund, Nader Khalil, Adam Pisarkiewicz, Lily Rudolph, Gabriel Salazar, Marina Sek, Akashi Shah, Joseph Smith, Brenna Wengert, and Mary Wright.

Vice Chair John Mazza asked the new consultants for a rundown of their coastal experience.

“Vice Chair Mazza, you’ve stumbled upon one of the di culties we have with

Nighttime lane closure on PCH from Big Rock to Tuna Canyon lasting until March 23

The right northbound and southbound lanes of PCH will be closed from Big Rock Drive to Tuna Canyon Road weekdays, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., until approximately March 23 for Southern California Gas Company gas line repair work. The closures began on Jan. 23. The work is required to enable Caltrans to proceed with slope restoration work on the coastal side of PCH south of Big Rock Drive. Crews will replace and relocate two steel gas lines, requiring digging a trench that will be covered by a steel plate during the day. Some daytime work may be required. Residents and businesses near the work site may notice noise, vibrations, and dust. Be sure to check Quickmaps, LA County Public Works road closures map or other apps or websites for traffic information before getting on the road.

City Council will begin hybrid and in-person meetings starting March 27

The Malibu City Council voted on Jan. 23 to begin holding City Council meetings in a hybrid in-person and remote format starting March 27 as Los Angeles County continues the trend of low COVID-19 conditions. The Council directed the city’s commissions, committees and boards to continue meeting virtually.

During commissioner’s comments, Je Jennings mentioned the ve-year deadline for Woolsey Fire rebuilds.

“ e time limit is ve years, so we’re coming on to that,” Jennings said. “Im looking at the website, and the number of people have been able to rebuild — it’s not everybody. I just wanted the sta and public aware of that potential problem.”

According to the city’s website, an application for a fee waiver needs to be submitted by June 30. All required Planning Department applications also need to be deemed complete by that date. All required building permits should be pulled by Dec. 30 (fees will have to be paid for any building permit pulled after Dec. 30 before it will be issued).

Point Dume access road and parking lot closed due to storm damage

The Point Dume access road is closed from the end of Westward Beach Road at the parking kiosk to the entrance to the Point Dume parking lot due to storm damage. The edge of the road and the restroom building by the entrance to Point Dume parking lot are heavily eroded and at risk of collapse.

The Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors Department has been doing emergency repair work on the site for the last two weeks, in close coordination with the California Coastal Commission. Access to Birdview Avenue remains open. The beach itself on remains open, but there is no vehicle access beyond the end of Westward Beach Road.

The beach is heavily eroded, and very high tides continue, causing hazardous conditions, so beachgoers are advised to stay away. There is no current estimate for reopening the access road, parking lot and bathroom. For further questions, call Beaches and Harbors at (424) 526-7777.

Student Art Exhibit at Malibu City Hall

The 2023 Student Art Exhibit featuring original works by students in grades K-12 from Malibu Elementary School, Webster Elementary School,

A Planning Veri cation Woolsey Fire (PVWF) planning approval will expire ve years from the date of destruction, at the latest. PVWF applications must be submitted within three years of being destroyed, with a building permit obtained within ve years from the date of the re (Nov. 9, 2018).

“I think Je is very spot on with making the public aware of that,” Peak said.

“ e [City] Council will hopefully bring that up, I think that’s very much in our community’s interest and it’s going to have a big a ect on a lot of people.” e commission received and led the Planning Director’s report on the approval of Administrative Coastal Development Permit No. 19-022 and Minor Modi cation No. 22-002. e commission adopted Resolution No. 23-01. e commission motioned to continue

Mollica said he will bring that to the city manager’s attention.

Coastal Development Permit No. 17-104, Variance Nos. 19- 035, 19-036 and Mi-

Malibu Middle School, Malibu High School, and Our Lady of Malibu will be on display at the Malibu City Gallery from Feb. 6 through March 3. The Malibu City Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the lower level of Malibu City Hall (located at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road). Registration or tickets are not needed. The opening reception is on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit the Student Art Exhibit webpage at malibucity. org/1088/Student-Art-Exhibit.

Malibu Library Speaker Series with Harlan Lebo

The 2023 Malibu Library Speaker Series continues with Harlan Lebo, author of “Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker’s Journey,” a movie-lover’s history of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs behind the making of “Citizen Kane,” Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Malibu Library. Lebo has written books about “The Godfather” and “Casablanca” and writes about cultural history, science, the humanities, society, and the impact of digital technology. Space is limited for this free event, so RSVPs are required on the webpage (malibucity.org/722/MalibuLibrary-Speaker-Series) or by calling the Malibu Library at (310) 456-6438.

Recreation Guide and City Newsletter are now available

The Spring Recreation Guide and City Newsletter is available online and will be mailed to residents on Feb. 6. Residents can find information for upcoming spring programs offered March through May, including afterschool programs, nor Modi cation No. 20-012, an application for a new single-family residence and exterior site improvements to a date uncertain. e next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Feb. 6. aquatics, outdoor recreation at Charmlee Wilderness Park, Parent and Me programs, senior programs and excursions, Spring Break Surf and Skate Camp, and the 23rd Annual Chumash Day Native American Powwow and Intertribal Gathering. See the guide on the Community Services Department webpage at malibucity.org/335/ Community-Services.

Join the organic Waste Recycling Workshop and get a free kitchen scraps caddy on Feb. 15

Community members can learn about the importance of, and how to successfully participate in the city’s Organic Waste Recycling Program by joining the virtual workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. Additional workshops are scheduled for March 15 and April 19. The Organic Waste Recycling Program is an important way that Malibu can fulfill its commitment as a community to be part of the efforts to address climate change and protect the environment. The link for the event is posted on the website. Attendees will receive a free kitchen scraps collection caddy (limit one per household). The 1.9-gallon, dishwasher-safe caddies are easy to fill, carry, empty, and clean, offering a convenient way to collect food scraps to be recycled. For more information about the program and to register for a workshop, visit the Organic Recycling webpage at malibucity.org/Organics. For additional guidance on the organics recycling program, review the city’s free online Zero Waste Guide (malibucity.org/ HomeZeroWasteGuide).

Youth Commission Recruitment for 2023 - 2024 appointment year

The Harry Barovsky Memorial Youth Commission application period is open through March 31 for students in grades 7 to 12 during the 2023-2024 school year. Commissioners provide recommendations to the City Council regarding youth programs and projects and gain experience in leadership, public speaking, environmental stewardship, and community service. For information or to apply, visit the Youth Commission webpage or contact Recreation Coordinator Amanda Rigali at 310-4562489, ext. 252. Go online at malibucity.org/178/HarryBarovsky-Memorial-YouthCommission.

COVID-19 Statistics

City staff continues to monitor and respond to the pandemic by participating in regular briefings and conference calls with partner agencies and issuing alerts and notifications regarding changes to the situation. On Feb. 2, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) confirmed 14 new deaths and 1,354 new cases. Other key updates from the County’s COVID-19 Dashboard as of Feb. 2 include the following:

2,822 confirmed positive cases and 14 deaths in the City of Malibu to date

3,679,170 confirmed cases and 35,308 deaths in LA County to date

707 current hospitalizations in LA County, a decrease of 211 since Jan. 19 held several times at various locations in Malibu with other sponsors,” the post states. “ e ‘Zuma Cars & Co ee’ event was not a liated with the City of Malibu’s ‘Cars and Co ee’ event that has taken place on Sundays at Malibu Blu s Park for several years, and is now on hold.” e City of Malibu used to hold its Cars and Co ee at Malibu Blu s Park every second and fourth Sunday of the month, but the event has been on hold since September 2022. e City of Malibu said there are currently no plans to bring back the event.

According to the post, City Code Enforcement contacted the property owner, and issued a citation for the unpermitted event. e property owner assured the Code Enforcement O cer that no future car events would take place at their property.

“If the Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council express a desire to revive the event, the sta will provide an analysis on whether it is feasible, bene cial, safe and in line with the needs, desires and values of the community, then the City Council may make that decision,” Media Information O cer Matt Myerho said.

As for the car show on Jan. 22, videos of the event have surfaced on social media, and the Malibu/Lost Hills sheri ’s deputies are seen issuing citations to vehicles exiting the parking lot. at morning, deputies wrote 11 moving violation citations and 10 parking citations.

Malibu/Lost Hills Sheri ’s Lt. Dustin Carr provided a statement on the issuing of tickets.

“While speeding is a reason for a tra c stop, there are many other reasons law enforcement conduct enforcement stops,” Carr said. “For example, many vehicles have modi ed exhausts that do not comply with the California Vehicle Code.” e Zuma Cars & Co ee social media account shared a video of a vehicle being pulled over by a sheri ’s deputy as it was exiting the parking lot. Most of the commenters stated they found the citation to be an “unnecessary citation.”

Many car enthusiasts ooded the comment section to express their concerns against the city’s decision to cite the business and prevent the organizer from hosting any future car show events in Malibu. e post has nearly 500 comments as of Feb. 7.

Sasha, who preferred to not provide her last name, manages the Zuma Cars & Co ee Instagram account and said they have received much support from the community and car enthusiasts about the car show.

“As you can tell by the response of the City of Malibu’s post, we have a lot of support from locals as well,” Sasha said.

“What we do is not an o cial event, we post we will be at a location, and whoever wants to come is welcome,” Sasha said. “We do tell people you cannot rev, burn out, and have any obnoxious activity. You must respect the location. If you do misbehave, you will be asked to leave immediately.” e car shows are free to attend and while many of these classics are not set up for front plates, Sasha and many car enthusiasts say the “no plate” tickets are “unnecessary harassment.”

“We have never been told we need a TUP [Temporary Use Permit], and according to what we read on the Malibu TUP website, what we are doing doesn’t require [one],” Sasha said. “We were a small group of car owners that met at a restaurant for breakfast. No fee to attend; anyone from the public is welcome at the restaurant. But that being said, we have no problem applying for one but it’s been clearly stated in many di erent ways that car club permits will not be issued.

“It makes no sense, and the unnecessary harassment is disappointing,” Sasha said. “ ere are a lot of good sheri ’s [deputies]... we just want to make sure everyone follows the rules... we have helped them enforce [the rules when needed]. We have no problem working with the city or county regarding our meetups.”

Managing Director of Aviator Nation Dreamland Kelly Furano commented on the City of Malibu’s post and said she was in contact with Capt. Jennifer Seetoo the day before the event.

“I was on site observing with my two children. ere was no car revving, just people celebrating the car community,” Furano said. “Our landlord offered his lot to this community as a show of support. It was not a car show or event, but rest assured, we will be more cautious in the future about how we support community artistry. Sometimes I feel that no matter what we do with the heart of Malibu in center focus, we fail. In my dream, posts like this would celebrate the e orts we are making to bring this town together, not highlight the one thing someone nds wrong.”

Artist and Vice Chair of the Malibu Arts Commission Fireball Tim Lawrence attended the car show, and hosts car shows around Southern California. Lawrence will be hosting the original Wheels and Waves at Sea n Soul Surf in Malibu on March 5.

According to the City of Malibu’s website, a TUP is required 35 days in advance; Lawrence said his show is still in the process of being approved.

“We’re cutting a little close,” Lawrence said. “Worst case scenario is that we get it [TUP], and then we reschedule the date of the show, but we want to make sure that we do the process right.”

According to the TUP application, events that take place outside of a business building or outside the normal service area of a restaurant require a TUP.

“At this point, the city is requiring a TUP because the issue isn’t really with the cars; the issue is the way in which people, certain people, drive to the show and leave the show, that’s really where the problem exists and why the sheri ’s [deputies] have to do their job,” Lawrence said. “ ey want people to have a good time, but the way people leave the show is what causes the show to end...so now they required any automotive event in Malibu to obtain a TUP.”

Lawrence said in the 10 years he has hosted car shows, no one has ever received a ticket.

“My show is considered an art show, it’s an art show because people who bring their cars have built their cars, they didn’t go to a dealer and spend a million dollars on a car. ey didn’t go to an auction and buy the car. ey bought the car for $1,500, $2,500, or $10,000 bucks, and then they spent the better part of a year or two building,” Lawrence said. “ ey bring that car to the show and they don’t drive them fast because they don’t want them to break — they don’t want anything to happen to them, so it’s the mentality, it’s very speci c.”

Lawrence remembers the car meetups at Cross Creek and said they weren’t organized by anyone — cars just started showing up.

“So once again, it’s not the people that come to the show and enjoy the show, it’s the people that come to see something very speci c and they’re very young, in many cases, they don’t think the laws apply to them, they have a need for speed and they’re fueled by the lm industry and the movies that get made,” Lawrence said. “ ey come to the show and they drive the way they do, and then if they get a ticket, it’s all about blame. I’ve done this for 30 years and trust me when I say there’s a massive di erence.” e Zuma Cars & Co ee organizers said their car shows help support local businesses both retail and restaurants in addition they have raised money for charities in the past.

“We are car enthusiasts looking for an opportunity to meet once a month on a Sunday for two hours. We are business owners and people that love cars who want to see friends before we go back to work on Monday,” Zuma Cars & Co ee posted on social media. “Our goal is not to cause problems, but create a place where people of all races, genders, social class, background, and professions can come together and enjoy their same passion. With all the ghting that happens in this world, why is our peaceful and positive group such a nuisance? We are not all car groups and can’t be blamed for other misbehavior. If you misbehave at ours, you are banned permanently.” e City of Malibu provided the following statement on Friday, Feb. 3.

“ e car events, whether they are organized and in one location, social media-based, or spontaneous, are generally disruptive to the community by creating noise, tra c congestion, and taking up parking for long periods of time, preventing people from being able to access shops and restaurants, and disrupting businesses. ey often are associated with dangerous and illegal behavior, like racing and drifting, and lead to illegal parking, including in designated re lanes. e City’s and the Sheri ’s Department’s response has consistently been that motorists can only be cited or arrested if they observed breaking the law. An organized event requires a Temporary Use Permit, and if a car event takes place that should require a TUP, the City can send Code Enforcement to investigate, and, if appropriate, issue a citation. Currently, the City does not support car events that are disruptive to the community, but any event organizer may apply for a TUP, and every event will be evaluated on its merits.” project. “We know that there is a deep crash history here that we are taking in to account.”

Alta is a planning and engineering design rm that specializes in bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation.

Haire pointed out that some of the accidents are vehicular crashes and others are crashes involving bicyclists or pedestrians.

“ at is something we’re looking at closely for this project,” she said. “Where are these problem points and are there things that we can do in recommending features that are coming out of this project to mitigate some of that crash risk?”

After analyzing data, the engineer stated, “ ere are a variety of di erent types of

In a phone interview, Dueñas said the bottom line is that she and the city attorney are now in the process of trying to con rm who is legally responsible for cleaning up the homeless encampments in that area.

Canyon Vineyard Estates, LLC, has been the property owner since 2008, and Reid Breitman is the real estate developer behind the LLC. He bought the 12 parcels in lower Tuna Canyon through a foreclosure action against Mountains Restoration Trust (MRT). e property, which consists of 417 acres of undeveloped land along the Paci c coast, is located both in the City of Malibu and unincorporated areas of LA County. It’s been mired in legal challenges for years.

GRAND