I feel compelled to respond to the slick PR campaign currently being mounted by the Malibu Bay Company.
Malibu definitely does not need the development agreement proposed by the Malibu Bay Company. The MBC would have you believe that the needs of Malibu can only be met through this agreement. It is naive to think that the MBC is being “generous” when they offer to donate their overvalued and least desirable parcel in exchange for our consent to forever alter our special paradise. It is not generosity, but corporate interest that motivates them to throw us this bone.
Their PR campaign is trying to impress us with the amenities that 500,000 square feet of retail and commercial space will offer. Make no mistake; this is not designed for Malibuites. Such a massive build-out is intended to attract hordes of day visitors. And who will benefit from the huge crowds, snarled traffic, pollution, and other urban stresses? Only a few dozen merchants; not the residents of Malibu. Further, if the development agreement is approved, the MBC is not even obligated to be the developer. They can sell their properties to any developer.
I’m confident that a community as educated, caring, and affluent as Malibu will be able to provide for the needs of its residents. The proposed development agreement is a bad deal and we can do better.
Steve Rucker