Crummer property for sale
The 22-acre property owned by Roy E. Crummer located next to Malibu Bluffs Park was put on the market last week for $26 million. City officials have publicly stated it is their goal to purchase the site so ball fields can be placed there. Two years ago, the state told the city it must vacate Bluffs Park, where ball fields are currently located.
A committee was formed recently, made up of representatives from the city, the state and the National Park Service, to negotiate a land-swapping deal. Crummer said he is a willing seller, but this marks the first time the property has been put on the open market. Councilmember Jeff Jennings said he doesn’t think this means the city has lost its chance to obtain the property. Paul Grisanti, the Realtor assigned to the Crummer property, said the city or state could still buy the property. When asked if the two entities had first priority, he said he did not know how to answer the question.
“The city and state have had first priority for several years already,” he said. “How much time do they need?”
The Crummer property is zoned for one home per two acres. Grisanti said he believes the property could be divided into about eight or nine residential lots.
Santa Monica renters group endorses 3 for school board race
Malibu resident Kathy Wisnicki was not among the three Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education candidates to receive the coveted endorsement from Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights. The political action committee whose endorsees usually win local Santa Monica elections, including the school board, threw its support behind incumbents Jose Escarce and Maria Leon-Vazquez and Santa Monica activist Ana Maria Jara.
Wisnicki, who is the only Malibu resident running in the election, has already received endorsements from the Santa Monica Malibu Classroom Teachers Association and Coalition for the Living Wage, a Santa Monica labor organization. Current Board member Mike Jordan is also from Malibu, but declined to run for re-election.
Sierra Club to appeal Forge decision
The executive committee of the Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter has chosen to appeal Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dzintra Janavs’ decision to uphold the city’s approval of the Forge Lodge Bed and Breakfast. Janavs’ ruling came last month, more than a year after the City Council gave the go-ahead for the construction of a 27-unit facility located near the Beau Rivage Restaurant along the northeast corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Corral Canyon Road. The Sierra Club had alleged several environmental law violations with the project, but the judge rejected all of them.
Dave Brown of the Sierra Club’s Santa Monica Mountains Task Force said he believed the Sierra Club had a good chance for victory before the Court of Appeal.
“The judge is very slanted…on many points she didn’t pay attention to the law,” Brown said. “This is not something radical, nothing extreme; we’re just trying to get the city to follow its own laws.”
In response to hearing about the Sierra Club’s intention to appeal, Mayor Pro Tem Andy Stern said, “Mr. [Frank] Angel [Sierra Club attorney] continues to make a very good living filing lawsuits on behalf of the Sierra Club against the city of Malibu that they lose. I would hope that Mr. Angel will start doing this work pro bono so that Sierra Club members’ dues don’t continue to go toward losing lawsuits.”
City meeting to discuss policing issues
At last month’s City Council quarterly meeting, the council recommended that a community meeting take place in September to discuss issues involving the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. City Manager Katie Lichtig said a request had been made from several people for the city to sponsor a public forum, and one had been scheduled to take place July 7. That meeting did not occur due to scheduling conflicts.
Lichtig said individual meetings will take place between city officials and those who have concerns about policing issues. A public meeting will then take place in September with the City Council’s Public Safety Sub-Committee to discuss the issue.
Court rules against mobile home park
A California appellate court has ruled that the Point Dume Mobile Home Park must allow a portion of its land to be open to the public because of an agreement made 23 years ago.
According to The Los Angeles Buisness Journal, in 1981 a former owner of the mobile home park agreed to offer the land to the Coastal Commission within 21 years in exchange for the right to expand the park. In 2002, the California Coastal Conservancy decided it wanted to open that property to the public. The new owner of the mobile home park, Serra Canyon Co., sued to prevent that from occurring. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge threw out the suit prior to it going before the Court of Appeal. Serra Canyon attorney Paul Shoop told The Los Angeles Business Journal that he had petitioned the California Supreme Court to review the case.
Jr. Philharmonic auditions
The Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra is inviting young musicians through the age of 25 to participate in its 68th annual auditions. Tryouts are available for advanced musicians playing piccolo, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, cello and string bass. Non commercial and non government subsidized, the Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the oldest young people’s symphonies in the nation. Interested musicians should call 323.272.3667 for a tryout. Rehearsals will be on Wednesday evenings in Los Angeles, with performances taking place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Shrine Auditorium and Kodak Theatre.
Former Pepperdine president appointed to state commission
Former Pepperdine University President David Davenport was appointed to the California Performance Review Commission by Gov. Arnold Swarzenegger. The commission is examining how to reduce state costs as part of the governor’s elaborate plan for state government reform.
Davenport was the sixth president of Pepperdine from 1985-2000. He was instrumental in the founding of the university’s School of Public Policy and the Davenport Institute was named in his honor. Davenport is also director of Washington D.C.’s National Legal Center for the Public Interest, founder of the National School Safety Center, as well as a member of the Council of Trustees of LEARN, the California Education Roundtable, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Education Committee, and the Education Working Group. Davenport is currently teaching courses at Pepperdine’s School of Law and the School of Public Policy.
Air quality improvement workshop
An air quality summit will take place on Friday from 9:30a.m. to 12 p.m. at Los Angeles Pierce College. Presentations will be given on federal and state air quality issues, federal law and recent court decisions, challenges for the Los Angeles region, and health implications.
The workshop will be co-hosted by Assemblymember Fran Pavley and Congressman Henry Waxman. Also, Attorney General Bill Lockyer, State Senator Sheila Kuehl and Assemblymember Alan Lowenthal will be there. Pierce College is located at 6201 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills. The meeting will take place in the Campus Center Building.
Malibu Chicken
to close
Malibu Chicken will officially shut down on Sunday. The owner of the restaurant located on Pacific Coast Highway near the Malibu Pier had been asked by the property owner, Chabad of Malibu, to leave several months ago. However, a legal dispute arose, allowing the restaurant to stick around longer. The restaurant is hosting a closing party on Sunday at 4 p.m. with free food and drinks.
Outdoor movie screening
“Field of Dreams” will be screened on Aug. 14 at Malibu Bluffs Parks as part of the “Family Movies Under the Stars” program. The event starts at 7 p.m. with activities, giveaways and trivia games. The movie will begin at 9 p.m.