Would you like to see nine Ralph’s shopping centers or 37 Country Marts that are 32 feet in height with zero setbacks in the Civic Center creating an urban Malibu? Last night’s Planning Commission meeting, on the city staff-created Civic Center Guidelines, made this a reality if approved by the City Council.
These changes are subtle and seemingly meaningless to the unattuned ear. But for Malibu each change made by the good-intentioned Planning Commission is yet another nail in the coffin of Malibu’s quality of life.
Trying to be the good guys, which they all are, the Planning Commission, instead of holding the line on many of the astonishing new development standards, are now allowing a 32-foot height limit increasing the massiveness of buildings when most of the community loves the small human scale of the Country Mart.
Even more disturbing is the fact that the major hurdle that developers had to overcome were the city’s strong setback requirements. These requirements could be used as a tool to limit the size and scale of the 1 million square feet of development now in process in the city. The Planning Commission waived this valuable tool by removing the setbacks in the guidelines allowing zero setbacks. Zero setbacks from property lines will create a completely urban landscape.
Trying to do the right thing the Planning Commission then added that they are enacting these guidelines but the developer is not to rely on them. A mixed message if ever there was one. The developers will rely on these new guidelines and ambiguities under California law are interpreted in favor of the entity not drafting them. In this instance the developers will win hands down.
Say goodbye to the Malibu we love for times are changing. Our lifestyle is being killed and nail by nail the coffin sealed.
I am sending this letter to the Planning Commission as well as the press in hopes that the commission will change their current actions by the time the paper reaches your doorsteps. I hope that I will have a better tale to tell next week than the story of death and destruction that I just presented.
Patt Healy
Malibu Coalition for Slow Growth