Hikers rescued from Malibu cliff
A group of hikers stranded on a cliff slope in Malibu Creek State Park had to be rescued Saturday by county fire and Sheriff’s department officials, according to a press release by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
A 34-year-old Los Angeles man was hiking with his 14-year-old daughter and her four girlfriends, ages 14 to 16, when they became stranded on a cliff slope on the north/east section of Goat Butte Mountain in Malibu. Two members of the group were able to make it down the slope to safety, while one of the remaining four stranded hikers was able to get cell phone connection and called the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station at about 5 p.m. A Sheriff’s Mountain Search and Rescue ground team reached the victims, and lowered them by ropes to the base of the mountain, completing the rescue at about 9 p.m. None of the victims was injured during the incident.
Emily Shane honored with memorial street sign
Caltrans workers put up a street sign honoring Emily Shane’s memory at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Heathercliff Road Monday morning.
The sign now reads “Emily Shane Way” beneath “Heathercliff Rd.” Then 13-year-old Shane was struck and killed by a vehicle near the intersection in April 2010.
Shane’s family hosted a ceremony Tuesday at Vital Zuman Organic Farm, 29127 PCH, at 3 p.m. in her honor. Aug. 9 would have been Shane’s 15th birthday.
CERT training classes beginning Aug. 18
The City of Malibu and the Los Angeles County Fire Department are hosting a series of seven Community Emergency Response Team training classes, Thursday evenings from Aug. 18 to Sept. 29.
The classes teach participants about disaster preparedness, fire suppression, disaster medical triage and rescue, first aid and medical organization, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster psychology and terrorism, as well as a disaster simulation exercise.
The classes, which are free of charge, take place in Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Rd., from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
To sign up, or obtain more information, contact Brad Davis at 310.456.2489 extension 260.
New electric vehicle charging station opening ceremony
Actor Ed Begley Jr. will be one of several speakers at the Malibu Country Mart to celebrate the installation of the new electric vehicle (EV) charging station at the shopping center, 3835 Cross Creek Rd., with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception Aug. 20 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The ceremony will take place next to Ralph Lauren, followed by a reception featuring live music and food from John’s Garden and Howdy’s in front of Howdy’s restaurant.
The Country Mart invites the public to learn about electric cars and to view the outdoor showroom.
In unveiling these charging stations, the Country Mart hopes to continue improving the environmental quality of its community through its Green Initiative Program. The program, incorporates plant-based biodegradable cleaners, a comprehensive composting and recycling program and a biofuels program to convert restaurant grease into biodiesel. With the addition of these EV charging stations, officials aim to make Malibu a safer, cleaner place for families to enjoy.
More information can be obtained by calling the Malibu Country Mart at 310.456.7300.
City hosts input sessions to update zoning code
The City of Malibu Planning Department hosted a series of meetings Tuesday to gather public input on how to revise the city’s 18-year-old zoning code. Planning department officials said the revisions are necessary to contemporize an outdated code that is full of inconsistencies.
The meetings are part of a two-phase plan by the city to streamline a development review process that city officials say is currently plagued by inefficiency. The city has hired the consulting firm Lisa Wise Consulting to oversee the process of reforming the code.
Separate meetings were held with various stakeholder groups. A meeting of the Zoning Ordinance Revisions and Code Enforcement Subcommittee started off the day, followed by a meeting for permit expediters, planners, attorneys and project managers to give their input for changes to the zoning code. Architects and developers had their own input meeting with city officials, as did members of the business community such as real estate agents, commercial property owners and the Malibu Chamber of Commerce. Residents gave their input at the final meeting of the day.
Joyce Parker-Bozylinski, director of the city’s planning department, said the only people involved in the decision-making process would be planning department staff and Lisa Wise, the zoning code consultant hired by the city. Parker-Bozylinski said the process involved tweaking the zoning code, not making major changes such as increasing the floor-area ratio (FAR) of commercial buildings to allow more square footage for retail space.
City budget available online
The City of Malibu’s fiscal year budget for 2011-2012 is now available to view online, according to a press release from the City of Malibu.
The City council adopted the budget at its June 13 meeting. The budget includes $33 million in revenues, $37 million in appropriations and $12 million in public improvements. Additionally, there is an updated organization chart reflecting the reorganized Environmental Sustainability and Planning Departments.
The city’s budget can be viewed online at www.malibucity.org.