The view ordinance for Malibu Country Estates hopefully has now met with the approval of all concerned, based on the City Council’s “first reading” during the November 26 meeting. Long overdue is the need for a view ordinance for all of Malibu. Now that the Malibu Country Estates needs have been satisfied, I trust the City Council and staff will now be able to devote maximum attention to the development of an ordinance that meets the residents’ need, for the rest of Malibu, for view protection.
I believe the best way of achieving that objective is through one or more workshops, open to all who wish to provide input through a facilitator. The City should hire a facilitator to help organize these meetings, and then conduct them.
Rancho Palos Verdes has had a great deal of experience with the view problem. Their view ordinance was first adopted in 1989, and has been amended several times since. That town has been through the mill. For that reason, their current law would serve as a useful guide in the development of legislation for our City. The facilitator could use the Palos Verdes law as a basis for advancing the discussion/decision process.
I see these workshops as an effective and expeditious means of deciding on the basic criteria required to enact an ordinance that will satisfy the community’s needs. At least, it will eliminate the type of repetitious, tedious process that has attended the adoption of the Malibu Country Estates ordinance.
Leon Cooper