From the Bluffs/Soka deal to road improvements, city officials beam over their accomplishments. Yet, struggles remain within the school district over funding and the city continues to try and get its say in the Local Coastal Program for Malibu.
By Jonathan Friedman/Assistant Editor
City and school district officials updated the business community on local issues at the State of the City Address, a Chamber of Commerce event that took place on March 16 at Guido’s Malibu.
Mayor Sharon Barovsky, City Manager Katie Lichtig and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School Board member Kathy Wisnicki spoke to the crowd of about 40 people on recent city achievements, other municipal issues and the continuing struggle for the SMMUSD and other districts in California to deal with financial issues because of what many education activists consider to be poor state funding for schools.
Barovsky began her speech by complimenting all those involved in the recently approved Bluffs Park/Soka property purchase, including city and California Department of Parks and Recreation officials, and state Sen. Sheila Kuehl and Assemblymember Fran Pavley. The deal, which was reached earlier this year and officially approved by the Malibu City Council and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy board, allows the city to take over the ball fields at Bluffs Park, thereby ending the multiyear struggle for Malibu Little League and Malibu AYSO to continue using the facilities.
According to the agreement, State Parks will transfer ownership of the 93-acre Bluffs Park to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The city will then buy 10 acres of the site, which include the ball fields, the Landon Center and a running path. The money (an amount to be determined by appraisal) will go to State Parks, which will put it toward the Soka purchase.
Several state agencies and municipalities have raised the $35 million necessary for the Soka purchase. The money is in escrow, with the escrow anticipated to close the end of this month. The city will not be able to purchase the portion of Bluffs Park until an appraisal has been conducted. “People who are against secret deals should give a little wiggle room,” Barovsky said. “Because a lot of people behind the scenes worked very, very hard.”
Barovsky also praised the city staff’s efforts in keeping the city informed during the recent storms. She said the city Web site was useful in notifying people about road closures, storm updates and other important information. Also, regarding safety, the mayor cheerfully looked to the Zumirez Drive realignment project finally going under construction. The project, on which construction is underway, calls for the shifting of the south end of the Point Dume Street 100 feet to the east so that it is aligned with the north end of the street, located on the opposite side of Pacific Coast Highway. A traffic light will also be installed at the intersection. The council also recently gave the go ahead, with California Department of Transportation approval, for a traffic light to be installed at the intersection of Corral Canyon Drive and Pacific Coast Highway.
“I think that’s really a big deal, because that is such a dangerous intersection,” Barovsky said.
Additionally, Barovsky applauded the passage of the Santa Monica College bond measure last November. The measure will generate $25 million to be used for joint-venture capital projects between the city and the community college district. A joint powers authority has been formed with representatives from the city and the college district who will have a say on how the money is used. Barovsky envisioned an optimistic future for how the money can be used. “We’re hoping we can partner with the college and have a world-class library … so that we can have a learning center and a cultural arts center,” Barovsky said.
A project like the one the mayor envisions will require more than just the $25 million the bond measure has made available. But the council could be now planning for where the rest of the money will originate. Recently, the council formed a quasi-city agency to raise private funds for a community arts and education facility. Another one was also formed to raise money for parks and ball fields. But the council members have also agreed to postpone formal action on the two agencies until volunteers in the two groups can decide how much city involvement they want.
City Manager Katie Lichtig talked about the city’s continuing battle with the California Coastal Commission over the Local Coastal Program. Last year, the city ran out of litigation options to avoid having to issue coastal permits based on the LCP document that was drafted for the city by the Coastal Commission. But the city has drafted amendments to the document for Coastal Commission consideration, in hopes that the document could be made less restrictive in the eyes of many Malibuites. Coastal Commission staff is currently reviewing those amendments and must put them before the commission for a vote before November. Lichtig said it appears that the earliest the issue will be presented for a vote would be late summer.
Lastly, SMMUSD Board member Kathy Wisnicki spoke to those in attendance about the struggles with the school district because of what she said was a lack of appropriate state funding for education. But Wisnicki said despite the struggles, the district has been able to thrive because of support from the communities, local businesses and parents. She said, although the district would be on a tight budget next fiscal year, as it usually is, it most likely would not have to cut any programs or layoff teachers or staff.