Critics question disparity in services and public facilties between the two cities, which have roughly the same revenue.
By Michelle Logsdon/Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu and Calabasas were both incorporated in 1991, giving each municipality 12 years to develop city services. Calabasas appears to have taken the bull by the horns and offers a long list of activities and community facilities. Malibu, on the other hand, has a much shorter list.
Lori Sandel, a parent and Malibu resident, notes that more young families are moving into Malibu and the city needs to provide facilities and activities for that demographic.
“We moved to Malibu because it is less congested and it’s quiet here,” Sandel said. “The beaches are great and so is the horse arena, but if I want my children in competitive sports or similar activities I have to go to other cities.”
Currently, Sandel drives to Westlake Village so her children can participate in a music program there.
Sandel used to sell real estate in Calabasas and said the city had a lot to offer in the form of children’s programming, local parks, shopping and community events.
The City of Calabasas sits on 12.9 square miles and has a population of 20,033. Despite its small land area, the city has a 12,000-square-foot library that will soon double in size when a new civic center is constructed.
Residents of Calabasas can also use a joint community center with Agoura Hills that includes a weight room, dance studio, a rock-climbing wall and other activities for children, teens and seniors. The city also owns a tennis and swim center that houses a swimming pool, 16 tennis courts, a weight room, a cardio room, an aerobics room, meeting rooms, a playground, saunas and a snack bar. Plus, there are 12 community parks in Calabasas and the city’s goal is to continue opening one park per year. Last, but not least, there’s even a free trolley to take residents around town.
“The city council has always agreed to be fiscally prudent and invest wisely in the city,” said Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian. “We can spend money on services because we don’t have to worry about urban blight, redevelopment or a high crime rate and we have a significant number of volunteers who help out in the community.”
Bozajian noted that Malibu might not have the same amount of volunteer involvement because many of the residents are not there year-round. Plus, Malibu’s layout (27 miles long but only 1 mile wide) makes it a challenge to create a sense of community.
In most cities, a fair amount of the money spent on services comes from sales tax. In Calabasas, the Commons shopping center provides a stable revenue stream for the city. Approximate annual budget for Calabasas is $14 million-around $4 million of that comes from sales tax.
The budget numbers in Malibu are not that different. Malibu’s approximate annual budget is $18 million, with $4 million generated from sales tax. Yet, the list of services in Malibu seems short compared to that of Calabasas.
The City of Malibu is home to a 16,500-square-foot library but the County of Los Angeles actually owns it. The recently created senior center is a 2,400-square-foot room that doubles as the City Council’s meeting space. The city does not own a public park and its ball fields are on leased land.
Malibu Mayor Ken Kearsley explained this short list by saying; “The county left us with nothing, literally.”
Plus, he added that Malibu has to spend significant amounts of money to keep the beaches and the Pacific Coast Highway safe.
“We spend about $4 million each year on police. We do that because we have 10 million visitors a year and we want them to have a safe place to take their children to surf and enjoy the beaches.”
Kearsley also said the City Council is working on providing more facilities and activities for residents of all ages. He said a community center is in the works that will include space for teens and seniors. He also noted the new joint use agreement with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District to use its facilities to expand sporting events and other activities for young people. Kearsley is also proud of the city’s Parks And Recreation Department and the unique opportunities it provides such as surfing camp.
But where Malibu officials choose to spend money is also based on a vision.
“Our first priority is to maintain the rural atmosphere for the residents and visitors,” Kearsley said. “If our citizens wanted a Third Street Mall or Calabasas Commons we could get one tomorrow, but I don’t think they want that.”
Joan (who chose not to give her last name) has lived in Malibu for 28 years and does not want to see more development in town.
“I love the serenity of Malibu,” she said. “But I can already feel more congestion because there is too much traffic and building.”
Kearsley said that city officials often face opposition to just about any type of development or change.
“Anything you do in Malibu is a big deal. For example, when we were discussing the Forge Lodge we had such a turnout at our meetings you’d think we were talking about a nuclear reactor.”
So, although both cities are the same age, their paths have diverged when it comes to development of city services. Bozajian and Kearsley both say they are following through with the vision of their community, and they agree that resident involvement is crucial to change.