Monday night’s meeting of the Malibu Planning Commission may feature an interesting subplot: a dispute between opposing land developers.Â
The ownership group seeking a planned 146-room hotel in Malibu’s Civic Center sent a mailer last week encouraging residents to oppose a residential development of five mansions across the street from the hotel site. The residential site, known as the Crummer Project, goes before the Planning Commission Monday night at 6:30 p.m. for approval.Â
In a one-page brochure sent out to registered Malibu voters last week, Green Acres LLC, the development firm behind the Rancho Malibu Hotel project, criticized the Crummer Project, claiming its ownership group, Oaktree Capital, wants to “turn the largest profit possible” by building the five two-story mansions overlooking the Pacific Ocean off Malibu’s coast.
The brochure asked residents to attend Monday night’s Planning Commission meeting to oppose the project.Â
“Tell the Planning Commission the Crummer Project is wrong for Malibu and let them know our coast is not for sale!” the brochure said.
The Crummer site is located next to Bluffs Park next to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) overlooking the ocean. It is also directly across PCH from the proposed Rancho Malibu Hotel site. Â
Hotel developer Richard Weintraub acknowledged the mansions would affect ocean views from the proposed hotel. Weintraub said he has encouraged Crummer site owners to explore development alternatives such as an equestrian park and downscaled one-story townhomes.
When asked to respond to the statements in the brochure, Robert Gold, who represents the Crummer Project, declined comment.Â
The Planning Commission’s meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Council chambers at Malibu City Hall at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. Discussion on the Crummer Project will likely not begin until later in the meeting.Â
