Traffic update
According to a March 29 report on the city’s Web site, the California Department of Transportation is still excavating dirt from a slide between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Coastline Drive on Pacific Coast Highway. Caltrans is using 25 trucks and working 12 to 14 hours a day on the slide.
The project, which began March 16, is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete. On March 18, a third traffic lane was added, providing two southbound lanes from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m., and switching to provide two northbound lanes from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, in Calabasas work began Tuesday to repair a landslide on the east side of Las Virgenes Road. Construction delays are expected. Check www.cityofcalabasas.com for updates on the project.
Intermittent closures are ongoing on Pacific Coast Highway between Kanan Dume Road and Paradise Cove Road for the next two months from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for construction of the Zumirez Drive realignment project. At least one lane in each direction is open at all times.
Malibu Canyon Road, Kanan Dume Road and Decker Canyon remain open. Check the city’s Web site at www.ci.malibu.ca.us for more information.
Supreme Court to hear Marine Forests case
The possible landmark case of Marine Forests Society v. California Coastal Commission goes before the California Supreme Court on Wednesday. In the lawsuit, Marine Forests has challenged the constitutionality of how the Coastal Commission members are appointed.
A Sacramento Superior Court judge and the 3rd District Court of Appeal sided with Marine Forests. Some experts say if the Supreme Court upholds those decisions, it could radically change how the Coastal Commission is structured and possibly invalidate the Malibu Local Coastal Program, which was drafted by the Coastal Commission.
Regional Water Quality wins suit
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victoria Chaney recently rejected a challenge to clean water regulations brought by the county of Los Angeles and several cities against the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Chaney rejected the major arguments that the cost of compliance was beyond the economic reach of local government and ignored by the regional board and that the implementation of the regulations would discourage or altogether stop new development. Malibu was not one of the cities involved in the suit.
Disney classic back on stage
On May 13 at 7:30 p.m. Malibu High School Arts Angels and The Shark Fund will present “Beauty & the Beast.” The pre-party will take place the same day from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. For more details go to www.TheSharkFund.com
Meet a grunion
Pepperdine University, Heal the Bay and Surfrider Foundation are seeking volunteers to monitor grunion runs at Malibu beaches starting next month. Grunions are butter knife-sized fish native to Southern California’s waters.
From April to early June, they come ashore to spawn along sandy beaches.
To RSVP send an e-mail to grunion@pepperdine.edu or call 877.GRUNION by April 1. More information can be found at http://arachnid.pepperdine.edu/grunion/default.htm