Last week several members of the city council attacked me for writing a letter to the editor in which I commented on the city plans for the corner of Zumirez and PCH. Councilman Jennings wrote, “I’m not sure what evidence there is apart from the letter writer’s imagination.”
He conveniently forgot to mention that four of the owners of the adjacent property, in public testimony before the three council members who did not recuse themselves (Jennings, Barovsky and Kearsley), stated in no uncertain terms that they thought they had an arrangement with the city and had worked with the former planning director and city engineer in their effort to gain possession of the city land.
He forgot that, contrary to city policy, that does not allow an applicant to apply for development on city land, the city on Sept. 8, 2003 (yes, 2003!) accepted an application from Wildlife LLC to develop the corner, including the roadway. The staff did note on the submitted plans “Not to be approved until re-alignment complete.” Councilman Jennings did not mention that when Planning Commission Chairman John Sibert asked staff twice, “The old road is city property right?” and staff replied, “That is correct.”
Everything that I have stated above is public record and any citizen can go to city hall and request to see the files and view the tapes of the council and commission meetings. Fortunately for an outsider like me, the law requires that citizens be given access to public documents. Unfortunately, I cannot report on what goes on behind closed doors.
This whole affair seems simple to resolve since all that is in question is the request by the Point Dume Community Assn., Malibu Riviera One and various citizens of Point Dume to have the city landscape the Zumirez entrance to Point Dume rather than allow the construction of an office building on city property.
Perhaps Councilman Kearsley was correct when he wrote, “I think people who have trouble with the truth are people who really should not be involved in government.” Perhaps former English teacher Mayor Barovsky should remember what Queen Gertrude in Hamlet said, “The lady doth protest too much, .”
John Mazza