News analysis
By Kristine Hansen/Special to The Malibu Times
and Arnold G. York/Publisher
After many months of negotiation, a proposed development deal to solve the problem of where to relocate the ball fields at Bluffs Park may be approaching a solution.
The baseball and soccer fields located atop Bluffs Park sit on land owned by the State of California, but the lease for those fields expires in May, 2002. The state has said it does not want to extend the lease because it wants to build a visitors center there. Malibu has been hard-pressed to find new suitable land and the dollars to make the move.
The proposed multi-part development deal brought to the council on Monday was negotiated among the City of Malibu, the state, the Coastal Commission and Roy Crummer. Crummer is a Malibu landowner who owns a major portion of the bluff.
In the proposed deal, the current ball fields would be removed from state-owned land and new baseball and soccer fields would be built on a 6.2-acre portion of the bluff adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway. Crummer has offered to donate the land to the City of Malibu and he would, in return, earn the right to build eight single-family estate residences on the other end of the bluff. Each lot size would be about two acres, making the total subdivision approximately 18.74 acres.
According to Planning Director Barry Hogan, the city would waive certain portions of the Interim Zoning Ordinance (IZO) slope density, lot size and total square footage to allow the homes to be constructed.
Crummer said his father and grandfather, who were early developers of Malibu, “always felt ball fields were important.” Later, the family sold most of its holdings to the Malibu Bay Company, except for a few parcels like those atop the bluffs adjacent to Bluffs Park.
Others in the government and parks and recreation community spoke out in favor of the proposed deal at Monday’s meeting.
Russ Dingman, park planner for the State of California, said the city would have to move quickly because the lease on the ball fields expires soon.
Laureen Sills, parks and recreation commissioner, said she supports the deal but noted that the rough proposed layout might be a problem because foul balls would land in Pacific Coast Highway. She said the Parks and Recreation Commission wants to be more involved in the planning, to perhaps help eliminate problems like these.
Park Commissioners Doug O’Brien and Dermot Stoker supported the deal. Stoker said, “This is a great day in the history of Malibu parks.”
Marissa Coughlin, a parks activist, also supported the deal. She said she hoped the community would accept the plan with the intent that it’s given.
Councilmember Sharon Barovsky voiced some hesitation because of the amount of grading involved in the deal and also echoed some of the concerns of Malibu Road homeowners located below the proposed residential development. “In all fairness I’m not going to support 72,000 cubic yards of grading to fill up a canyon … that’s too much for my tastes,” said Barovsky.
Councilmember Ken Kearsley was more optimistic. “I think we have a unique opportunity to sort of meld the public and the private sectors into a regional park,” he said.
The council voted to go the next step and send the proposed Bluffs park development deal out for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
Capt. John O’Brien retires
The council and audience gave Capt. John O’Brien, the very popular retiring commander of the Lost Hills Sheriffs’ Division, a standing ovation for his years of service to Malibu. O’Brien, who came to the station in 1977, served as a deputy, sergeant, lieutenant and later, captain of the division. Mayor Joan House described O’Brien as “among the finest they have to offer.” See story A6.
The bond committee reports
The independent Malibu Bond Measure Coalition Committee gave the council its version of the $15 million open land bond initiative’s language.
The council placed the item on the agenda for its May 29 meeting. Interim City Manager Christi Hogin said council members are free to campaign for the bond as long as no city funds are used.
At its next meeting, the council will have to grapple with final ballot wording.
At Monday’s meeting, the committee said they feel it’s doubtful that the $15 million bond initiative could get the two-thirds vote necessary for passage, based on a survey the city conducted, which revealed that just 58 or 59 percent of Malibu supports it.
Cross Creek reconstruction
The city has plans to reconstruct and reconfigure Cross Creek Road.
A grant in the amount of $500,000 has been recommended, and will help offset the cost, which is estimated at between $800,000 and $900,000.
Home occupations
The council introduced the new Home Occupation Ordinance, which covers home businesses in Malibu, but then unanimously approved moving the matter to a hearing on May 29. The new ordinance would permit home business operations like piano lessons, riding lessons and swimming lessons. Planning Director Barry Hogan said, “They still have to be good neighbors. There has to be a compatible use.” The draft ordinance requires that parking be provided on-site, which could pose a serious parking crunch for many hillside neighborhoods.
In other news, an appeal of a Planning Commission decision to deny construction of a house on 32804 Pacific Coast Highway between Decker and Encinal Canyon roads was returned to the commission for further hearing due to the changes that the applicant made to the original plan.
Also, the City Council unanimously approved a Flood Mitigation Plan.