Saying it could sprout a community feel in the Las Flores Canyon neighborhood, Malibu’s City Council approved design elements for a park off Las Flores Canyon, about a quarter mile up from Pacific Coast Highway.
Las Flores Park would be nestled in the undeveloped area between Rambla Pacifico and Las Flores Canyon Road.
In the 5-0 vote, council members approved constructing a low-impact park with a “tot-lot,” restrooms and picnic tables, after first restoring the stream.
Two amendments were tacked onto the resolution — to explore creating a butterfly habitat and to establish a self-selected advisory group. City staff were directed to examine properties immediately across from the creek for potential acquisition, perhaps a place to house a much-needed community center.
Twenty-one residents spoke about community needs ranging from a dog park to a place for parents to bring their children. A general sentiment among speakers was that a park could help bridge Malibu’s wide geographic spread and cultivate a community feel for Las Flores Canyon residents.
Councilmember Sharon Barovsky recalled a recent day when she informally interviewed mothers playing with their children in front of John’s Garden, a small sand lot with swings at the Cross Creek Shopping Center.
“They unanimously said they hate being cooped up in a commercial area with their children,” said Barovsky.
Beth Lucas, who lives on Sierks Way and is the former president of the Lower Las Flores Mesa Homeowners Association, collected 291 signatures in just one week in support of creating Las Flores Park. Of those signatures, 82 live near the park, said Lucas.
Approximately 14 Malibu residents, sporting identical red ribbons pinned to their shirts, were in favor of a dog park at Las Flores Park.
“Even the most anti-dog person should support a dog park,” said Guadalupe Lerner, representing the group. Dog owners should be able to take their dogs to Las Flores Park “and hopefully not be chased by a producer with a video camera,” she said.
Parks Commissioner Dermot Stoker said, “I like this design. I think the aspect of creating a separate space at the very north end of the park for dogs is a good idea. We could fence off an area so the dogs could run free.”
A handful of residents said that creating a dog park within the park could be a “disaster” and goes against the desire to create a natural environment.
“I think this property can be a landmark for Malibu, a symbol for how Malibu preserves and protects,” said Malibu resident Margaret Schultz. While she did not express her opinions about establishing a dog park there, she suggested the park be the trailhead for a citywide trail system.
Mayor Pro Tem Joan House introduced an amendment to explore using the small building, formerly a residence, at Las Flores Canyon Road as a community room. It was, however, defeated 2-3 with only House and Mayor Tom Hasse supporting the amendment.
Also on Monday, the council overturned three appeals based on Planning Commission decisions. Councilmembers approved, 3-2, a site review and a variance for a request to build two, two-story single-family homes at 6164 and 6176 Galahad Drive. The projects were denied to the applicant, Gary Shuman, in February because the residences exceeded the allowed 18 feet in height. The commission, in a 4 to 1 vote, said a two-story home would have a negative impact on the ridgeline’s natural topography and visual impact.
In another vote, the council voted 5-0 to direct city staff to review the design for a variance for a two-story home at 27439 Latigo Bay View Drive. The Planning Commission previously denied the variance and the applicant, John Kilbane, had since altered the design to appease neighbor complaints that the house blocked views of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Also, a unanimous vote was taken in favor of withdrawing the city’s applications for MTA grant funds for the Point Dume shuttle and the Mini-Transit Center at Zumirez Drive and PCH.