Las Flores Park development on Planning agenda
The city of Malibu’s Planning Commission will discuss whether or not to extend the coastal development permit that would allow construction of a pedestrian bridge, a new restroom, a new wastewater treatment system and 140 cubic yards of exempt grading at Las Flores Creek Park at its regular meeting May 3.
Planning staff recommends that the commission approve the permit granting a two-year extension, which was applied for by the city’s Public Works Department.
The Planning Commission meeting will take place Tuesday in City’s Hall’s Council Chambers, 23815 Stuart Ranch Rd., at 6:30 p.m.
Vehicle catches fire
A car caught fire last week Thursday near the intersection of Mulholland Highway and Stunt Road at around 7:20 p.m., Captain Don VanDoren of Los Angeles County Fire Department 67 in Calabasas confirmed. The vehicle’s three occupants were uninjured and the cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Parkland acquired
The National Park Service has purchased 160 acres of land within Los Angeles County, according to a press release from the National Park Service. The acquisition brings the total public parkland within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to 17,491 acres. The three parcels were purchased with $1.88 million from the Land and Water Conservation fund.
The land acquired begins on the north face of Castro Crest from Malibu Creek State Park and runs to federal parkland reaching Mulholland Highway near the Rock Store, a famed motorcyclist destination.
“This is wonderful, undisturbed habitat,” said acting Park Superintendent Lorenza Fong. “The plants and animals the habitat supports are very diverse for the relatively small area covered.”
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the largest urban-adjacent parkland in the nation.
Sherry Lansing to be Pepperdine’s commencement speaker
Sherry Lansing, former chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, is scheduled to give the keynote address at the commencement ceremony for Pepperdine University’s Seaver College April 30, according to a press release from the school.
In recent years, Lansing has been involved in cancer research, health and public education, working as the founder and chief executive officer of the Sherry Lansing Foundation. Lansing worked in the film industry for nearly 30 years. She became the first woman to run a major film studio when she was appointed president of 20th Century Fox in 1980. Lansing then worked as an independent producer before being named chair and CEO of Paramount in 1992 where she aided in production of films such as “Forrest Gump” and “Titanic.” She has received numerous awards for her work in the industry, such as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Lansing currently works primarily with her nonprofit organization, which focuses on cancer and other health research. She also sits on the boards of the Cancer Center, the American Society for Cancer research and other foundations.
The commencement ceremony will take place April 30 in Pepperdine’s Alumni Park at 10:30 a.m.
CERT training session planned
The City of Malibu will host its next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for the public beginning May 12. The classes meet every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for seven weeks, ending June 23. The CERT program provides basic training in safety and lifesaving skills for the general public.
The training includes disaster preparedness, fire suppression, medical operations, light search and rescue, as well as team organization and disaster psychology, along with other skills.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Emergency Services Coordinator Brad Davis, at 310.456.2489 x260.
DUI checkpoint planned
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station will conduct a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint in the city of Malibu April 29 between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Department.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its ongoing campaign to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes,” the release states. “DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as bring awareness to our community of the dangers of impaired driving.”
Tractor accident on Kanan Road
A tractor doing landscape work lost traction and slid down a hillside onto Kanan Road hitting a vehicle Sunday around 2 p.m., according to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.
The accident, which occurred near Silver Creek Road, caused delays on the roadway until 5 p.m. No one in the car was harmed, but the driver of the tractor was transported to Los Robles Hospital for treatment.
This accident comes less than a month after a fatal truck accident occurred on Kanan Road, highlighting local highway safety concerns.