The city is applying for a $4 million grant from the State Water Resources Control Board.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
With the municipal purchase of the Chili Cook-Off site complete, the city is now in the process of finding money to transform it into the planned Legacy Park, which the city would like to make part of a proposed wastewater/storm water treatment program.
Mayor Ken Kearsley will travel to Sacramento later this month to meet with State Water Resources Control Board officials about a $4 million grant for which the city is applying, with the money to be used to develop the park. The grant would require the city to supply a $1 million match, which would come from its general fund. Kearsley estimates that it will cost from $5 million to $7 million to build the park, which will consist of vegetation, wetlands and a small pond (the city cannot construct any facilities on the property as part of its agreement with the Malibu Bay Co. when it bought the site). Since there might be a shortfall, even if the city receives the $4 million grant from the SWRCB and receiving that grant is not even guaranteed, the city will have to seek other funding sources.
Also included in the proposed water treatment program is a wastewater treatment plant the city would like to build on the Pepperdine University-owned property behind the old City Hall on Civic Center Way, which the university has offered to donate to the city. However, that property is on the market, so the donation is not a guarantee with a new property owner. Kearsley said he hoped something could be worked out with Pepperdine or a new owner so the donation could take place, but he said if that is not possible the city would look for a different site for the facility.
According to local government officials, the wastewater plant would operate as a sewage collector for the Civic Center properties. The wastewater would then be treated and sent to the Chili Cook-Off site, where it would be partially dispersed into vegetation and groundwater and be used for other purposes such as toilet water. Kearsley said the city is looking to get a low-interest loan from the state to pay for the construction of the facility, and fees charged to the landowners who use the services of the facility would be used to pay off the loan.
The Chili Cook-Off site is also property to be used for storm water management through the creation of the wetlands, pond and other habitats. The city is also in the process of constructing a storm water treatment facility that will remove pollutants such as oils, grease and solid items from storm water that is traveling into the Malibu Lagoon. It will also treat and discharge that water before it enters the Malibu watershed.
The city issued a press release last week announcing it had received a $1 million grant for the storm water facility project from the state Coastal Conservancy. However, that was merely the final approval of a grant the city had already been promised from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, which the city last month announced it would be receiving. A party was held then to celebrate the grant and other monies the city obtained to go through with the $5.8 million project.
The most significant reason for the desire by Malibu to treat the wastewater and manage the storm water by curbing the amount of water runoff is to limit the amount of pollution entering the Malibu watershed.
Public Works Director Granville “Bow” Bowman said last month that if all goes well, the design and environmental impact report process for the water treatment program could be completed within three years. And then actual construction of the program could begin.