In your August 2 article about the proposed 70 foot permanent lights at Malibu High, you characterized the newly formed Malibu Community Preservation Alliance (MCPA) as “made of Malibu residents who live in the area surrounding Malibu High School who would be affected by the light fixtures.” This is an inaccurate characterization of MCPA. First, its membership is not restricted to residents surrounding Malibu High. MCPA was formed for all members of the community who value the original reason for incorporation as memorialized on the walls of City Hall] that is, “to preserve unaltered natural resources and rural characteristics…[and] to be responsible custodians of the area’s natural resources for present and future generations.”
Second, while MCPA is a party to the lawsuit against the lights, its charter is much broader than that characterized by your article. MCPA’s purpose is threefold 1) to protect and educate concerning the unique rural character of Malibu 2) to promote civil constructive discourse and 3) to promote open and honest governance.
Going forward, MCPA hopes to provide a space for community involvement in those aspects of Malibu that make this place so unique. Are there amateur astronomers out there? Join MCPA and let’s make Malibu a venue to observe the stars with other members of the community (and work together to insure that we have dark skies making such observations possible). Unhappy with the lack of collaborative, constructive solutions to the disparate interests within the community? Join MCPA and lend your voice to finding solutions which balance the march toward development with the duties that we collectively hold as custodians of this city’s natural resources and rural characteristics. Frustrated with the lack of transparency in our local government? Join MCPA and work with fellow citizens to insure that our lawmakers conduct governance openly, honestly and legally. For more information, see its website at www.malibucommunitypreservation.com.
Jay Griffith