School Board to vote
on whether to hold bond election
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education will vote at its meeting Thursday whether to put a district facilities enhancement bond measure on the November ballot. At last week’s meeting, the board members gave general support for holding the election, but there were differences of opinion on how large a bond should be put before the voters, with proposed amounts ranging from $268 million to $400 million.
Deadline to comment on proposed LNG air quality permit approaches
This Thursday is the deadline for the public to comment on the proposed air quality permit for BHP Billiton’s liquefied natural gas project. The company needs approval from the federal Environmental Protection Agency for that permit. It also needs approval from the EPA for its water discharge permit. The comment period for that has already expired. More information on those permits can be found at www.epa.gov/region09/liq-natl-gas/index.html.
BHP Billiton wants to install an LNG terminal approximately 14 miles off the Malibu coast. The project must receive federal and state approval from various agencies before construction can begin. Hearings are expected to take place this fall on the proposed project’s revised environmental impact report.
Neighborhood viewshed draft ordinance available
for review
A draft viewshed ordinance for Malibu Country Estates is available for review through Aug. 20. The document can be seen at City Hall, located at 23815 Stuart Ranch Road, or on the city’s Web site at www.ci.malibu.ca.us.
Comments on the proposal can be e-mailed to Kathleen Mallory at kmallory@adelphia.net or be sent to City Hall.
Following the review period, city staff is expected to respond to comments and later present the draft ordinance to the Planning Commission for review. The item will eventually go before the City Council.
The council has asked that a viewshed ordinance be created for Malibu Country Estates as a test program. A citywide ordinance will eventually be proposed based on the success of the Malibu Country Estates one, according to the city.
Fast Frame returns
Fast Frame, the framing store in the Cross Creek Plaza, reopened last week, becoming the first business destroyed in last year’s fire to return. Other businesses are expected to reopen this month and next month, including the movie theater.
-Jonathan Friedman