Throughout Malibu’s long history, Malibuites have successfully combated political fantasies and outsized public and private greed. Now, 1.5 million square feet of new development is proposed, zoned or already approved. This is the equivalent of 12 new Colony Plaza/Ralphs Shopping Centers in our Civic Center alone.
Current traffic congestion is nothing next to the gridlock that will accompany such new developments. Our water supply and rapid response fire protection will be threatened in this time of drought and year-round wildfire danger. Gridlock on a flame-engulfed PCH will be dangerously multiplied.
By voting “yes” on Measure R, we voters, instead of a governing body, will decide on big development and traffic. It allows us — not a small handful of politicians — to determine whether or not a development benefits more than it burdens our community.
Measure R has no downside. Because of this, the opposition is reduced to scare tactics, innuendo and misinformation.
Be assured:
– Measure R applies the exact same rules to all shopping centers across Malibu.
– Services like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Urgent Care are all protected under Measure R. Those who say otherwise distort the truth.
– Don’t feel intimidated by developer threats to sue the City; Measure R is based on similar laws enacted successfully by other cities.
The Reiners, with no financial stake in this, have a history of altruistic activity on behalf of Californians.
Soboroff, on the other hand, who is leading the opposition to Measure R, is a developer who must have his eyes on the bottom line. He sold Malibu Village for a $60 million profit, after which, it was flipped by absentee hedge funds, hugely bidding up the market price, but adding no value to our community.
For developers and out-of-town investors, commercial real estate is a commodity. For us, it is our neighborhood.
Look carefully at the flood of fear tactics coming from the Measure R’s opponents. For them, financial stakes are huge. For us — Malibu’s citizens — the stakes are much higher. They are nothing less than the ability to control our future by voting “yes” on R.
Carol Moss