It is imperative to set the record straight on just a few of the misleading comments made in recent letters and articles concerning the expansion of the Malibu Middle and High school campus.
The planning process did not include significant input from the surrounding neighborhood. The existing parking, traffic and lighting issues already raised by the community are well known, yet the planning committee did not seek substantive discussions with the residents that will be impacted the most. Nor was appropriate notice provided for the public scoping meeting. Nor have any of the three public meetings promised been scheduled although the community has been given a deadline of October 27 to submit comments.
The project study itself concludes that the project as currently proposed would have a potentially significant impact on aesthetics, lighting, transportation and traffic, air quality, noise and a host of other environmental issues. The proposed project violates previous promises and assurances given to residents and makes no mention as to how existing issues will be resolved in the short term.
The project proposal is overbroad and lacks specifics as to the intention to expand the use of the campus for “community purposes” beyond current use. The Malibu Park neighborhood existed before the schools were built. It has embraced, contributed and supported the schools as part of the community. Residents understand that the schools need to be upgraded from time to time in order to provide a quality education for our children. This does not mean, however, that the residents should be stripped of their right to quietly enjoy their homes and be told what is good for the neighborhood they live in.
The thought expressed in a recent article that if you live near a school you should automatically expect and accept a degradation of your neighborhood when the school needs to be upgraded is absurd. The notion expressed by some that the potential for the campus to be used as “a ready-made park” through shared-use agreements with the city clearly indicates that the project committee focused on more than the needs of the students.
At the end of the day, we must meet the educational needs of our children. The school and the community can co-exist in harmony. But the project as proposed clearly needs to be modified to take into account the right of residents to enjoy their homes.