Letter: Measure R Information

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Letter to the Editor

In his letter “Former Mayor Information” from Oct. 9, John Mazza claims the letter from eight former Mayors contained an “outright falsehood” because he claims Measure R can’t result in greater density than the City currently allows. Then he proceeds to misstate fact after fact.

Mazza says, “The maximum density is determined by the California Coastal Commission at 20%.” 

Fact: The maximum density was determined more than 20 years ago by the Malibu General Plan Task Force on which three of the eight former mayors against Measure R served. (Two of those former Mayors helped author the Mission Statement, which proponents of R are fond of quoting.) 

Fact: A developer can only develop 15% of his land unless he offers a public amenity, like a skatepark or an Urgent Care facility. Then, and only then, would he be allowed to develop 20%. 

Fact: The voters of Del Mar (Mazza and Reiner’s template for Measure R) approved three projects, which increased the building density, height and allowable uses in their downtown commercial area. Del Mar’s Hotel project increased the density almost 10%, the number of floors from two to three and the height from 26 feet to 34 feet. 

The Civic Center is my backyard. My husband and I fought high-density development for years. Had Measure R had been better drafted I would have supported it. The letter signed by eight former Mayors was vetted by a respected, independent land-use attorney for accuracy. Mazza’s accusation of “outright falsehood” better describes his own letter. 

Sharon Barovsky