With hundreds of structures lost and a forever-changed landscape, the November 2018 Woolsey Fire gave Malibu and other communities the daunting challenge of rebuilding.
The latest statistics available show 164 projects approved by the City of Malibu Planning Department with 30 building permits issued as of press time. That means Malibu is entering into the thick of its rebuilding period.
As a result, businesses have moved into Malibu with the intent of helping builders and residents make strides in the rebuild process.
This week, The Malibu Times spoke to two such businesses: Moon Valley Nursery and Coast Supply Co.
Moon Valley Nursery
For Arnie Moulton, general manager of Malibu’s Moon Valley Nursery, the goal was to “make Malibu green again” following the disastrous Woolsey Fire.
“There’s no tree nursery like this,” he explained in a phone call with The Malibu Times. “We’re coming to help.”
Moon Valley Nursery is a family-owned business that offers thousands of plant varieties. Currently, Moon Valley has more than 20 locations in California alone.
The Malibu nursery boasts more than 10 acres full of trees, shrubs, plants and more—all in different sizes and varieties with Malibu’s landscape in mind.
“Pretty much what I brought in personally are the fire retardant trees to Malibu,” Moulton said. “I didn’t bring anything that can get super highly flammable.”
Moon Valley works with clients by taking measurements of clients’ properties and creating designs based off the numbers and clients’ preferences.
In Malibu, Moulton said clients’ styles are all over the place.
“Everybody has their own unique style. Every house is different, every garden is different.”
What is not different is the concern for privacy. Many clients, Moulton said, requested Indian laurel columns—otherwise known as privacy hedges. (“We call it the Malibu hedge,” he joked due to its local popularity.)
For families currently rebuilding, he advised planting soon.
“Right now, it’s still warm. The best time of year to plant trees in the ground is now,” Moulton said, adding, “They get rooted, they start growing right away before the winter.”
Moon Valley Nursery is located at 29081 Pacific Coast Highway. For more information, visit moonvalleynurseries.com/locations/malibu.
Coast Supply Co.
Coast Supply Co. owner Ryan Reed was quick to emphasize: “We want to be part of the healing process,” when asked about the company’s recent move to Malibu.
And part of that reasoning is personal—Coast Supply Co. is originally based out of Santa Barbara. As such, Reed is aware of the devastation a fire and subsequent rain and mudslides can have on a community.
Coast Supply aims to provide high quality flooring, windows and more by working with contractors and having a retail space in Malibu Village. The company held the Malibu location’s grand opening in September.
Reed’s products come with a lifetime warranty: “We’re not cheap—we just give you high value.”
This past year, the company has also moved into creating custom kitchens.
Of his experience with rebuilds, Reed said, “It’s a tricky challenge to navigate the insurances [and] building permits.”
He recommended families rebuilding pay attention to the type of windows installed. Depending on the way a window is made, high heat—like that of last November’s fire—can crack certain windows. So, even if the home was made with fire-proof material, the “intrusion of air flow and the fire can get in your house” and burn it inside out.
Installing fire-protected windows—which are more likely to crack instead of fully shatter—helps minimize risk.
He again spoke of his commitment to the community and its fire victims: “We won’t raise any prices during this time or any time. We’re not here to capitalize.”
“I’ll never forget when fires first hit in Carpinteria. Ladies coming in [to the store], and they would just start crying,” Reed described. “They would walk around and feel at home again.”
In a similar vein, he aims to bring a “sense of space and belonging and protection” to Malibuites through Coast Supply Co.
Coast Supply Co is located in the Malibu Village at 23359 Pacific Coast Highway. For more information, visit coastsupplyco.com/.