Why is the California Coastal Commission (CCC) advocating “citizen serving” commercial development that will asphalt over what defines Malibu’s sole in the center of Malibu, in its heart? It appears the CCC is promoting commercial development in Malibu’s center despite what is best for Malibu. Malibu’s General Plan and six major studies over the past 10 years advocate reclaiming and restoring the Malibu floodplain/historical wetland to a natural condition-a park, Malibu’s Central Park.
However, certain forces and individuals in City Hall are actively promoting commercial development in the center, and are willing to allow the maximum build-out and bizarre mitigations that won’t have any impact on reducing current pollution problems that have become world famous at the adjacent Surfrider Beach.
The CCC is putting on a bigger push to promote “visitor serving” commercial development. Under the guise of protecting the coast, the CCC is planning to allow asphalting over everything in the center. In chapter 17, “Water Quality Protection Policies” of the CCC Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan, it states throughout the chapter that there may be a “minimal” introduction of pollutants into surface waters and coastal waters by commercial development, regardless of present pollution problems. There are unbridled s mitigation allowances and treatment systems that can have a network of pipes crossing property lines in this floodplain. How cruel! Malibu has a major contribution of pollution from the current commercial development in the center and they intend to allow more pollutants. The pollution concerns keep escalating. Is this becoming criminal or what?
The center of Malibu already experiences traffic that exceeds capacity on the highway over the weekends. The planned Adamson Hotel alone is anticipated to generate traffic that will exceed capacity on the highway throughout the week. Yet, City Hall has indicated that it is about to approve over one million square feet of more shops, offices, an entertainment center and restaurants, with more parking lots bringing in more run-off pollution into our streams and coastal waters and pollution to our air.
All the debates have been framed around ESHA, public access and local control that are legitimate concerns, but only affect a few. The real issue is about the center of Malibu because it is known that “as goes the heart of Malibu, so goes the rest of Malibu.” What happens in the center, in the heart of Malibu, will affect everyone!
There is still time to persuade the CCC that the heart of Malibu should be characteristically representative of all Malibu and should remain natural open space – a park! Please write Governor Davis, the CCC, Senator Kuehl, Assemblywoman Pavley, the City Council and your local papers and make sure that your friends and neighbors are aware of this threat. It is shameful that the CCC is missing this wonderful opportunity to use the heart of Malibu as an example of what they are supposed to do to protect the coast, instead of promote more commercial development.
Bob Purvey