Critics say the foundation is unfit to run Malibu Farmers’ Market; they accuse foundation members of misdeeds.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
Cornucopia Foundation opponents, who accused foundation members of several misdeeds, including sexual harassment and stealing from vendors, declared at Monday’s City Council meeting that the nonprofit organization was unfit to run the Malibu Farmers’ Market.
Former Malibu Farmers’ Market vendor Mark Devlin, who sent a petition-attached letter to city and county officials last month bashing Cornucopia and asking for another organization to run the Malibu Farmers’ Market, said at Monday’s meeting that he had horror stories he could tell about Cornucopia. Another former vendor, Kasim Afsar, said Cornucopia President Debra Bianco had asked him out on a date. After he refused, Afsar said, Bianco mistreated him and the next year would not accept his application to work at the market. Alan Cunningham of Vital Zuman Organic Farm, who has been a vocal critic of Cornucopia, said, “This is pathetic the way people [vendors] have been treated here [by Cornucopia].”
Cornucopia Board member Remy O’Neill said at the meeting that she would not respond to the accusations because the issue was part of a “legal and possible criminal investigation.” Bianco said after the meeting the accusations were untrue and she would go more in depth on the issue but because Cornucopia has hired a lawyer, she is restricted on what she can say.
When Devlin sent the letter to county and city officials last month, he attached a petition that included signatures that he said came from several dozen Malibu Farmers’ Market vendors. An investigation by The Malibu Times discovered that some who had signed the petition had not read the letter and some of the signatures appeared to be forged. The Malibu Times was unable to contact most of the people whose names appeared on the petition because many signatures were illegible or no last names were provided. Devlin has said he would provide the newspaper with a legible copy of the petition.
Cornucopia was the topic of discussion at the meeting because a proposed ordinance was before the council to rezone the county-owned Malibu Courthouse property to allow farmers’ markets operated by nonprofit charitable organizations to take place there. City staff discovered last year that the property was zoned for educational, religious and governmental facilities. The city and Cornucopia have been working since then on reaching a resolution to allow the foundation to run the market there.
Planning Manager C.J. Amstrup reminded the council during the meeting that the proposed ordinance before the body did not specifically apply to Cornucopia. There is nothing in the language, which the council approved, that would prohibit other nonprofits from using the Malibu Courthouse property for a farmers’ market.
The council must approve the ordinance at its next meeting on a second reading.
Since the county owns the property, it has the authority to decide who can use the site. But Cornucopia must receive a conditional-use permit from the Planning Commission every year, which can be appealed to the City Council, so it can hold the market.
DeButts appeal hearing delayed
The council was supposed to hear an appeal Monday from council candidate John Mazza of a planning manager’s approval for the construction of a porch and second-floor addition to a home on DeButts Terrace. But the item will not be heard until Feb. 13 because Mazza requested a continuance since his appeal comments were not included in the staff report.
The project Mazza has appealed was approved in April by the planning manager as an administrative coastal development permit. Projects obtaining these permits are considered less significant and do not require further approval by the Planning Commission.
Mazza argued the project should not have been limited to an administrative approval because he believes the home is on a ridgeline and the project did not strictly follow the ridgeline standards of the Malibu Local Coastal Program’s Local Implementation Plan. This means the applicant would have to seek a variance, which cannot be granted through the administrative approval process. The Planning Commission heard his argument in June and denied his request.
If the council sides with Mazza next month, the project will go back before the Planning Commission as a regular CDP application.
Also at the meeting, Lt. Steven Wilson was introduced as the new Malibu liaison for the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Wilson is the permanent replacement for Lt. Randall Dickey, who stepped down last month.