The new land use plan is not as extreme as its opponents would like you to believe. It is for the most part similar to the land use policies that were in effect since 1986 and are already incorporated in the Malibu General Plan. One major change since 1986 is designating coastal sage scrub habitat as environmentally sensitive. The Malibu General Plan has already done so in 1996. Since 90 percent of coastal sage scrub has been destroyed statewide, it is smart to try to save the little that is left. After all it took thousands upon thousands of years for this habitat to evolve. This habitat supports a wide variety of bird and animal life that depend on this habitat for its very existence.
If one wants to build in this habitat, your building pad is limited to 10,000 square feet in which you can easily build a 5,000-square-foot, one-story home and 8,000 square feet if two stories. The reason for keeping the building envelope small has to do with fire brush clearance regulations which will result in the clearance (and hence elimination) of several acres of this habitat around the structure. Without this protection, in a few short years this habitat could be totally destroyed. With understanding of the rationale of the Land Use Plan policies, I hope will come appreciation of why they were put in place.
Most of us want to live in harmony with the natural environment and not be responsible for its destruction. In addition, sound environmental policies will protect Malibu’s low-density, semi-rural character which is why so many of us were drawn to this beautiful community by the seas.
Pat Healy
Malibu Coalition for Slow Growth