The California Coastal Commission Friday gave a green light to a plan that would eventually see the removal of the Rindge Dam in Malibu Creek begin in 2025—despite a lack of data on increased flood risk, sediment flow, truck traffic procedures and other issues raised by residents.
The plan, put forth by the Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with California State Parks, is still a long way from commencement, which the army corps and coastal commission staff say means any potential problems can be solved long before construction begins.
“Construction of the project is not scheduled to start until 2025 at the earliest, leaving adequate time for the corps to complete the required future studies,” said Larry Simon, coastal program analyst for the California Coastal Commission, at the Friday, March 9 meeting in Port Hueneme.Â
Residents from the Serra Retreat neighborhood, which rests in the flood plain of Malibu Creek, are concerned about increased flood risks to their homes and roadways, including the Cross Creek Bridge—and they were hoping for solutions now, not several years down the line.
“We’re hopeful that this is not something that simply gets kicked down the road in terms of determining what mitigation measures will be taken,” said John Waller, legal counsel for several Serra Retreat homeowners.
The dam project green light is a victory for environmentalists, since it will result in habitat restoration in Malibu Creek.Â
The commission endorsed the plan in a unanimous vote.
Look for the full version of this story online next week and in the March 15 print edition of The Malibu Times.Â
