Forge Lodge goes before judge
The Forge Lodge project finally gets its day in court Thursday, more than a year after the City Council approved the 27-unit bed and breakfast complex along the northeast corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Corral Canyon Road. The Sierra Club sued the city despite the council having reduced the size of each unit of the bed and breakfast from the Planning Commission’s recommendation of 680 square feet to 580 square feet.
The Sierra Club said the project had a defective environmental impact report that did not address a number of issues, including its alleged threat to the reintroduction of steelhead trout in nearby Solstice Canyon Creek. Also, the Sierra Club said it was concerned the project would be within the 100-foot setback of an environmentally sensitive habitat area. The municipal code says structures cannot be built within the 100-foot setback of an ESHA if feasible.
The owners of the Beau Rivage restaurant and the project’s applicants, Daniel and Luciana Forge, and the project’s architect, Mike Barsocchini, in the past have complained that a double standard exists when it comes to ESHA violations. They say National Park Service projects in the area have threatened nearby ESHAs, but failed to raise concerns by the Sierra Club.
Architect appeals PCH project
Malibu architect Ron Goldman has appealed the Planning Commission’s May 17 approval for the construction of a 9,707-square-foot office building that would be located next to his office building on Pacific Coast Highway near the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue. Goldman, who had written a letter in opposition to the project when it went before the commission, alleged there were several miscalculations and errors in the staff report that was presented to the commissioners. Mike Barsocchini, who is the architect on the project, declined to comment.
Property association appeals Trancas development agreement
The Trancas Property Owners Association recently filed an appeal to a superior court decision that rejected its lawsuit challenging a settlement agreement between the city of Malibu and developer Trancas PCH. In May 2003, the city reached an agreement with Trancas PCH to allow it to build 32 town homes on 8.5 acres of a 35-acre property, with four of the homes being designated for low-to-moderate-income housing. In addition, the remaining portion of the land would be used for recreation or open space. Shortly after the settlement, the Trancas Property Owners Association sued the city, alleging the proposed development violated the California Environmental Quality Act, among other things. Also, a Brown Act violation was alleged. The court ruled in favor of the city on all counts.
Marshall Grossman of the Trancas Property Owners Association told The Malibu Times earlier this year that the association would also be filing a suit against the city in the near future for what he said was its lack of good planning in the Trancas area in what he referred to as “piecemeal development and spot zoning.” He said the city’s actions have threatened the area’s water table and created other environmental problems.
Workshop to address mature driver issues
Assemblymember Fran Pavley, the California Highway Patrol and the city of Malibu will host a Mature Driver Workshop at the Malibu Senior Center on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Law enforcement officers will be there to teach safe driving tips and address traffic concerns. Also, assembly staff will be on hand to discuss legislative issues. The Senior Center is located at Malibu City Hall on 23815 Stuart Ranch Road.
Moving to Malibu
Actor Dennis Weaver has decided to make Malibu his permanent home. According to the Los Angeles Times, Weaver and his wife, Gerry, have listed their Ridgway, Colo. home at $4.25 million. They plan to move into a Malibu home they have owned for 20 years.
Also reported in the Los Angeles Times, “American Pie” actor Sean William Scott has purchased a home in Malibu for $4 million. The house has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, and is about 7,500 square feet with an ocean view.
LCP amendments sent to Coastal Commission
The city of Malibu has submitted the City Council-approved amendments to the California Coastal Commission-created Malibu Local Coastal Program to the government agency for review. The amendments were sent to the commission’s Ventura office on June 9. The city is currently at odds with the Coastal Commission after it drafted an LCP for the city in the fall of 2002. Malibu residents then tried to put the document on the ballot for voter approval, but the state has challenged the city’s ability to do that. The two entities are currently before the state Court of Appeal to determine whether the election could occur. But the city has also expressed hope that settling the matter in the courts could be avoided if a negotiated LCP could be created through an amendment process. The council approved the amendments in April of this year.
Big Wednesday at Duke’s
Big Wednesday returns to Duke’s Malibu. From June 16 to Aug. 18, on Wednesdays beginning at 7 p.m., guests can enjoy celebrity bartenders, prizes from surf and action sports companies and specials on drinks and food. Thousands of dollars of surf merchandise will be up for grabs throughout the summer in raffles. Proceeds from the event will sponsor the Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay and local Malibu lifeguards.