As a resident of Malibu since 1974 and having surfed here since 1962, I have watched this small city secede from the county. While we have had minimum growth over the past decades, what many people were left unclear about in this past election from both sides is the simple fact that the county, and all of the surrounding state agencies, have slowly crept in, and now garner major control of this city.
Here are a few examples:
The State has mandated sewers and the Regional Water Quality Control Board is enforcing them, while the City says we can’t do anything about it. We tried; done deal. For the residents who are unaware, this is the very reason we seceded from the county.
The new Local Coastal Plan takes control of the Malibu unincorporated area of the Santa Monica Mountains. The City will now say they have no jurisdiction.
Caltrans runs the highway; the city continuously tells the citizens they have no jurisdiction.
State parks restored the Malibu Lagoon and now will be restoring the rest of the watersheds and taking down Rindge Dam. The City will tell you they have no jurisdiction.
State parks will be restoring Leo Carrillo, also know as Sequit. The City of Malibu will tell you, they have no jurisdiction.
The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy runs what goes on in the surrounding residential neighborhoods (mountainside camping) that the citizens have to fight while the City says they have no jurisdiction .
Parking meters will be coming soon to Dan Blocker Beach. The City says it is a county project and they have no jurisdiction.
These are some of the reasons that we seceded from the county in the first place. If this city is going to be endorsed time and time again by the very county agencies that are running the show anyway, then what’s the point of having a city government that has no jurisdiction?
Steven Dunn