Pamela Conley Ulich lists ambitious goals, including fire and traffic reduction plans, development plan for Civic Center area and making Malibu 100 percent renewable
by 2033.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
Newly appointed Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich announced her major goals for her second term on the council in a document she issued last month titled, “100 Day Plan for Malibu’s Future.” The four-page document lists a number of ordinances she wants approved and other plans she has for the city, along with some brainstorming on possibilities she would at least like explored. The entire document will be posted on The Malibu Times’ Web site later this week.
The first item on her list calls for the creation of a Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council Alliance, which would include “all the stakeholders” in the north Santa Monica region. She names cities, as well as county and state agencies, and insurance companies to be included in the alliance.
“The plan will explore how all stakeholders can work together to underground and/or improve overhead electric lines to reduce the risk of fires, allow citizens to have adequate brush clearance around homes [and] increase resources and assets when dangerous conditions exist before the next disaster occurs,” Conley Ulich wrote.
The mayor is calling for a town hall forum to discuss the topic “What are the lessons learned and what are the new services offered by the city?” Among the items she wants addressed are communication tools, how Malibu communities can help in the preparation to fight fires, how citizens can help firefighters, and what the evacuation plans and centers are in the city, and education on various issues.
Development issues
Conley Ulich wrote she wants the city to “create a plan that will address all issues in the Civic Center area.” Conley Ulich and Sharon Barovsky were designated by their fellow council members earlier this year to meet with Civic Center area property owners on various issues regarding development in the area.
She wrote the city should continue with the Legacy Park project and “continue to address water quality issues and take direct action to improve water quality.” In addition to creating a project in the Civic Center area, the plan for Legacy Park is to connect it with the city’s storm water treatment facility to curtail storm water pollution of the city’s watershed. The city is also developing a plan for wastewater pollution prevention by constructing a treatment plant on a nearby property.
Conley Ulich further wrote the city needs to “explore the feasibility of creating infrastructure … that would serve the public and provide services and protection that is needed for Malibu.” Items she listed are a city-run library, as opposed to the current one operated by the county, the creation of a city-owned City Hall (the city currently rents space for its operation center) and a Sheriff’s substation, which she wrote could be used as a command post for the Sheriff’s Department, as well as for the Fire Department, state fire officials and the city’s Office of Emergency Services. She also listed the creation of new teen and senior centers, and a farmers’ market.
Traffic
The city should work with the California Department of Transportation to install traffic monitors for Pacific Coast Highway, Conley Ulich wrote, and improve communication through the city radio station and other news outlets, and to create signs in surrounding communities to alert people about highway road conditions.
Legislation
The mayor also wants to pass a formula retail ordinance that would limit the number of chains in the city. Past attempts at this have been rejected by the previous City Council. Another ordinance she wants passed is for viewshed protection, something voters last month said they were interested having the city approve. She further wrote the city must “implement policies that will promote water conservation” and “provide incentives for people to build green.”
Also included in her document:
€ Exploring the possibility of creating a “clean bus” that goes from Trancas to the Civic Center area at peak hours and during weekends “so people can get out of their cars”
€ Creating separate bike lanes up the coast from Trancas/Zuma Beach to Oxnard
€ Banning plastic bags, leaf blowers, car washing in the streets and toxic building materials
€ Making Malibu 100 percent renewable by 2033 (fossil free by ’33)
€ Adopt a strong green building code
€ Adoption of ordinances for protection from paparazzi and to promote the arts