City requires story poles for MBC sites

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The Malibu Bay Company has set up story poles at the proposed Civic Center and Trancas building sites, in accordance with the Malibu city Planning Commission’s requirements. The story poles-wooden rods that define the height and corners of proposed buildings-are set up to give the City Council and the Malibu community a fuller understanding of the proposed project and its aesthetic impact.

City Manager Katie Lichtig confirmed that the story poles were in line with the Malibu Bay Company Development Agreement and Draft Environmental Impact Report that is under consideration.

“The poles are educational. They’re preparatory for decisions that will be made,” Lichtig said.

The Malibu Bay Company has laid out a 20-year development agreement affecting 110.71 acres comprised of 12 parcels of land at three Malibu sites-the Civic Center, Trancas Canyon and Point Dume. The agreement calls for residential construction at Trancas Canyon, commercial and/or residential property at the Civic Center location, and city-owned ball fields and a community center at the Point Dume site.

The proposal is unusual, Lichtig stated, because it encompasses 12 tracts, whereas most projects are presented on a site-by-site basis. With this unique scope, Lichtig said the city has made more demands on the company.

“The story poles were a proactive attempt to ensure the most public knowledge about the projects,” Lichtig explained. “We required them out of respect for wanting the public to understand the projects.”

Lichtig added that, traditionally, story poles were only required to designate proposed residential construction, but in this case the city required story poles to be erected outlining proposed commercial property, as well as residential.

Not all proposed buildings have been outlined, Lichtig said, “just buildings with the biggest impact and some pieces of buildings that are less than the city’s current standards.” The less compliant factors include buildings that are closer to the property line than the city allows.

The story poles are still in process. More tape will be added as guidelines and the story poles will remain up throughout the decision process of both the Planning commission and the City Council.

Other depictions of the proposed project are available to the public, Lichtig added.

“There are many sketches in the EIR and the public is welcome to take a look at the model built by the Malibu Bay Company. It’s housed at the Trancas location.”

She suggests contacting Dave Reznick at the Malibu Bay Company for access to the model.

Project architect Ed Niles estimated that the story pole arrangement cost around $60,000 to create. He stated that this assessment tool follows a line of reports and models that have been presented to the planning committee for review.

Some Malibu residents object to the plan. Opponents charge that the aesthetic damage to the community would be great and will not be imagined accurately by the visual aids available. Also, concern is voiced about construction “noise pollution,” wildlife displacement, and the impact of increased traffic and pedestrians on the community.

On Tuesday, April 14, the City Council discussed the project at an open meeting, followed on Wednesday, April 15 by a Planning Commission Special Hearing on the MBC Agreement, which is a part of a series of workshops to work out the details of the development agreement.