The Malibu City Council members approved a nearly $1 million street maintenance plan on Monday evening to repave and improve streets throughout Malibu. The council also raised questions about the use of ballfields at Trancas Canyon Park, and announced that trash and recycling bins have been added to each of the 19 bus stops in town.
The $975,000 street pavement plan allots the entire resurfacing and installation of 14 speed bumps on Malibu Road. Parts of Busch, Morning View and Winter Mesa drives will also receive surface treatments that should help preserve the pavement for a long time.
Sully-Miller Contracting Company submitted the lowest bid to the City, estimating it could complete the work for approximately $653,000. Since that number falls far below the plan’s budget, city staff is looking to expand the number of pavement projects funded by the allotted money.
“Staff is currently looking into increasing the project scope of work to potentially include resurfacing portions of Latigo Canyon Road or Corral Canyon Road and applying a slurry seal treatment to portions of Philip Avenue, Calpine Drive and Cuthbert Road,” a staff report said.
Roadwork is set to begin at the end of October and be completed by the end of December.
Soccer at Trancas Canyon Park scrutinized
The City Council approved a citywide facilities use agreement with AYSO, but asked that city staff clarify language on the youth soccer organization’s use of Trancas Canyon Park.
The park, which opened in 2009, underwent a long and laborious process to being approved.
When youth league play was proposed for the park in 2008, many nearby residents objected, citing additional traffic, noise and trash.
The city council voted to ban league sports at Trancas Canyon Park in June 2008.
When the park opened, it included an agreement that AYSO cannot store equipment or paint the field at Trancas, which in theory limits the field use for practices rather than games. Along with Trancas Canyon Park, AYSO is usually authorized to use fields at Malibu High School, Bluffs Park and each of the local elementary schools.
Mayor Pro Tem Joan House pulled the item from the council’s consent calendar because she said it is not clear whether AYSO needs a specific permit to play at Trancas.
“I’m not against or opposing or in disagreement … but I have some questions,” House said. “I want to know why we can’t store equipment, and are we sure we can’t paint the field? We need a list of what we can do at Trancas.”
Councilman John Sibert, the only council member who was a part of planning for Malibu Canyon Park between 2007 and 2009, said the plan clearly laid out that the park was intended for use as a practice field and not for organized sports.
House and Councilman Skylar Peak, who co-chair Malibu’s Parks and Recreation Subcommittee, agreed to review the bylaws together for Trancas Canyon Park while the Parks and Recreation Department amends the citywide agreement to address House’s concerns.
Planting continues at Malibu Lagoon
Craig Sap, Angeles District Superintendent for California State Parks, said between 35,000 and 40,000 plants have been restored in the wetlands so far.
Ultimately, Sap said 70,000 plants would be restored in the habitat.
Though rain is not in the near forecast, Sap said State Parks is hopeful for rain because it will help get the plants growing. “We want the plants to be able to establish a little longer,” Sap said.
The wetlands project was initially supposed to be done by Oct. 15, but earlier this month, the state granted a 16-day extension giving workers until Oct. 31 to complete the project.
Trash cans now at every Malibu bus stop
One trash and one recycling bin have been placed at each of the 19 public bus stops in Malibu, Councilwoman Laura Rosenthal announced. Rosenthal said she had worked for some time on getting the trash cans installed, especially near Heathercliff Road on Pacific Coast Highway.
Residents have complained of trash piling up in the area because of food trucks and junk removal trucks constantly parking near Point Dume Village.