Questa Engineering Corp. considers a Pepperdine-owned property located behind the old City Hall to be the best location. The mayor says she hopes Pepperdine will “be a good neighbor and negotiate in good faith.”
By Jonathan Friedman/Assistant Editor and Hans Laetz/Special to The Malibu Times
A preliminary report issued by Questa Engineering Corp. named the Pepperdine University-owned Wave property as the best location for a wastewater/stormwater treatment facility. The 9.2-acre site, located behind the old City Hall on Civic Center Way, was ranked first because of its “more remote proximity to public areas and the consequential reduction in the degree of potential visual, odor, noise or other nuisance impacts.” Second on the list was the Yamauchi Family Trust’s package of two properties that total 17 acres and are located near City Hall and the Malibu Knolls. Third on the list was the Malibu Bay Co.-owned Chili Cook-Off site, a 20-acre property that stretches along Pacific Coast Highway from Cross Creek Road to Webb Way. Questa officials presented their findings to the City Council at Monday’s meeting.
The news that the Wave site is the best location for a wastewater facility could change the city’s strategy for property acquisition. The owners of the Yamaguchi and Chili Cook-Off properties have offered to sell those lands to the city. Pepperdine, however, has never publicly made an offer to sell its property to the city, although a letter was sent from the school to Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy member Ozzie Silna last fall that stated it would “entertain offers to sell” the Wave property “in the $11 million range.” Silna has been one of the leaders in the quest to acquire vacant property for the city.
Although she said she still wants the city to be able to buy the Chili Cook-Off site, Mayor Sharon Barovsky said the city would have to examine how it could obtain either the Wave property or the Yamaguchi sites.
“If we are going to clean up the pollution in the Civic Center, one of those properties [Wave or Yamaguchi] will have to be acquired,” Barovksy said. “And I’m hoping that we can negotiate to acquire both the Chili Cook-Off and the Wave property… I’m hoping that Pepperdine will be a good neighbor and negotiate in good faith.”
The Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy had stated in the past that it believed the Wave property was the best site for a wastewater facility. President Steve Uhring said he was glad that Questa has come to agree with the MCLC. Uhring agreed with Barovsky, and said the city will hopefully be able to acquire the Wave property and the Chili Cook-Off site.
After the November 2003 defeat of Measure M, a proposal rejected by Malibu voters that included the possibility of the city acquiring the Chili Cook-Off property, some said that Malibu’s chance to acquire major vacant property in the city had gone away. Those holding that belief said they received further proof when later that year Malibu Bay President Jerry Perenchio wrote a letter to then-Mayor Ken Kearsley stating he was no longer interested in doing land negotiations with the city. But then last fall, Malibu Bay offered to sell the Chili Cook-Off site to the city for $25 million if Malibu can come up with the money by Dec. 31 of this year.
As the year progressed, it became public that the Yamaguchi properties were also offered to the city for $20 million. Also, the Crummer property, the 22-acre site located adjacent to Malibu Bluffs Park was put on the market for $26 million. The city has wanted to buy that property so it could build more ball fields.
The city is trying to obtain the money to purchase some or all of the lands that are available through various methods. It already has $25 million available after voters approved Santa Monica College’s Measure S in November. But that money must be used at the discretion of SMC, likely meaning an educational facility would have to be built on any land purchased with that money. The city is also seeking grant money, including funds that would be connected to the building of a wastewater facility. The state has a desire to see a wastewater facility built because it has an interest in Malibu cleaning its watershed.
Also, private donations to the cause will be needed. In recent meetings, the City Council has voted to set up two quasi-agencies to raise private funds. One would be for a community arts and education facility. The other would be for parks and ball fields.