A paramount campaign issue for Malibu in this upcoming election is for our officials to decisively move forward with a plan to sustain our independent businesses and to create a diverse retail/service balance that is vital for the daily needs of Malibu’s community. This effort has been underway since 2006 and our residents have now again spent the better part of a year stopping evictions of our local businesses, attending city meetings and public town halls, organizing successful petitions, meeting with city staff and consulting with planning experts from across the county. Successful plans have been gathered that can safeguard the future of Malibu’s community-serving businesses with a necessary retail ordinance at our largest centers and that limits our city from being overrun by corporate chains that displace our independent merchants and community needs. These ideas firmly support this city’s core values as clearly stated in Malibu’s General Plan and Mission Statement.
It is time for our city officials to take decisive action to protect Malibu’s residents and businesses. Between the “Save Trancas Nursery” and “Preserve Malibu” petitions, thousands of residents have stood up overwhelmingly to ask for protections for our independent businesses and to preserve our rural beach community. At the Jan. 23 city meeting, Brian Eamer and John Mazza, on behalf of concerned residents, requested that our Council vote to implement this plan at their first meeting in March. This date is before the upcoming council election and was agreed upon by this council.
We ask our sitting council to finally vote “yes” for retail and service diversity plan in March. As residents, we will also only support-and loudly so-candidates in this election who are committed to this goal in their election platform. The residents of Malibu have waited long enough, the time is now.
This letter was sent out and within two days more than 200 Malibu residents overwhelmingly responded to support this effort to bring diversity to Malibu’s retail centers, with more names coming in. If any residents would like to add their voice please email PreserveMalibu@gmail.com.
Marylynn Santman, Walt and Lucille Keller, Dan Hillman, Chris and Sally Benjamin, Richard Carrigan, Frank Angel and 202 others