The deal must still be approved by two state boards and the City Council. It would allow the city to keep the ball fields at Bluffs Park while the state acquires more money to purchase the Soka University property in the Santa Monica Mountains.
By Jonathan Friedman/Assistant Editor
A possible end to a battle that has gone on for more than 20 years may finally have reached a conclusion. An announcement was made this week that the city and the California Department of Parks and Recreation have reached a deal on the Bluffs Park conflict.
According to the agreement, State Parks will transfer ownership of the 93-acre property located on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu Canyon Road to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The city will then buy the 10 acres of the site that includes the ball fields, the Landon Center building and a running path. The money will go to State Parks, which will put it toward the purchase of the Soka University property, a 600-acre site located in the Santa Monica Mountains that several state agencies (led by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy) and the National Park Service are trying to put together enough money to buy. About $7 million that State Parks had originally set aside to aide the city with relocating ball fields from Bluffs Park will also go toward the Soka purchase.
Since Malibu’s lease on Bluffs Park expired in 2002, the city and State Parks have been negotiating on the future for ball fields in Malibu. On the surface, it appeared not much progress had occurred during the more than two-year process. But Councilmember Ken Kearsley said negotiations continued until the settlement was finally reached.
“It has been the best-kept secret in Malibu,” Kearsley said.
Councilmember Jeff Jennings, who has been the leader in the city’s quest to find a solution to the ball fields crisis, said the final deal was first proposed by State Parks Director Ruth Coleman when she came to Malibu in November. Jennings said the next question was how the deal could be accomplished. He said Assemblymember Fran Pavley and Sen. Sheila Kuehl helped with the process. Mayor Sharon Barovsky praised all those involved in a press release issued by State Parks.
“It’s amazing what can be accomplished when governmental agencies, elected representatives and stakeholders work together to create and then unite behind a creative solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem,” Barovsky said.
So far, there has been no vocal opposition to the deal. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Board must approve the deal. The board will vote on it at its Jan. 24 meeting. Also, the California Public Works Board must give its approval. Prior to the city’s purchase of the property, an appraisal must be conducted. The City Council must then approve the purchase for no more than the amount stated in the appraisal.
The dispute between the city and State Parks goes back to 1982 when State Parks sought a permit from the California Coastal Commission to evict Malibu Little League from its ball fields at the Malibu Lagoon, which State Parks wanted to convert to native wetlands. Following a flurry of lawsuits, a settlement agreement filed in August 1982 in Los Angeles Superior Court granted the Little League a home at the state-owned Bluffs Park through 2002.
As the end of the lease approached, State Parks made it clear to the city that it was not interested in renewing it. The city was able to persuade State Parks to allow it to keep the ball fields at the park until a new location could be found. Although if the deal goes through, Malibu Little League and Malibu AYSO will be able to remain at Bluffs Park, Jennings said the search for ball fields is still not complete.
“I think that acquiring Bluffs Park maintains the status quo, but we do need additional field space,” said Jennings, who added that the adjacent Crummer property is still one of the sites that interests the city. The Crummer property is on the market with a $26 million sales tag.
Jennings said no timeline has been set for how long it will take for the appraisal and the municipal purchase. But he said city officials are hoping the whole transaction will be finished by April. Jennings added that he has heard the estimated cost of the property could be from $1.5 million to $2.5 million. He said the value will be less than it could be because the property will be deed-restricted to prevent any possible commercial development, as well will the rest of the Bluffs Park property. Jennings said the money Malibu will use for the purchase will most likely come from the city’s surplus.