Most people choose to live in Malibu because they love the way the mountains meet the sea, the wide open spaces, the magnificent oceanfront, the rustic beauty, and the small town atmosphere. That Malibu has managed to retain a certain wild beauty is no accident. It is a direct result of the protections afforded the coast of California under the landmark Coastal Act-approved by the voters of this State in 1972 and enacted in 1976. Without the Coastal Act, Malibu might look more like the rest of Southern California where mountains have been paved for housing and strip malls and the beach is hidden behind walls of condominiums and resorts. And that is why it is essential for Malibu to have its own local coastal plan, one that adopts the principles of the Coastal Act that have protected the Malibu way of life for so long.
There has been a lot of misinformation in the local press regarding the Coastal Commission, its role in preparing Malibu’s Local Coastal Plan and what it means for Malibu’s future. For example, one “news analysis” said you could not plant a rosebush! That is a complete falsehood but unless you read the plan for yourself and ask questions, you would never know the correct answer. It is up to you to educate yourself and not rely on those who have a strong anti-Coastal Commission bias to form your own opinion.
The future of Malibu depends on whether or not Malibu will have a strong Local Coastal Plan that contains policies that protect the landscape and the experience we have come to love. In short, you need to ask yourself whether the protections in the draft prepared by the Coastal Commission are protective enough to preserve the Malibu experience, our community, and our quality of life.
To help you obtain the answers you need to determine how the Local Coastal Plan affects you and your City, you can e-mail your questions to SaveOurMalibu@aol.com. We will make sure that you get an honest and accurate answer as quickly as possible.
Patt Healy
Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy