City announces upcoming PCH safety campaign with Pepperdine students and law enforcement

By Samantha Bravo · Thu Jun 13 2024

Council OKs the Malibu Set Aside Funds and Malibu Film Society's proposal to screen films at City Hall

During the Malibu City Council meeting on Monday night, June 10, the city announced its upcoming Community Launch event on Thursday, June 27, at 5 p.m. at Malibu Bluffs Park. The city has convened a focus group of residents, Pepperdine students, and law enforcement partners to formulate a campaign that targets the driving behaviors while empowering its residents that set the standard for driving in Malibu. 

“We’re very excited about this launch and we hope the community comes out to share in this effort,” Deputy City Manager Alexis Brown said. “We are making a long term commitment as a city, we’re looking at more of a three yeartype campaign that’s going to work to effectuate the change and behaviors on PCH in Malibu.”

To start off the meeting, speakers and some commissioners, shared their concerns on the difficulty of attending in-person meetings such as the Parks and Recreation and Public Works Commission meetings.

Public Works Chair Jo Drummond provided a report on the Public Works and Public Safety joint commission meeting last Wednesday. They discussed all the new public safety public works projects along PCH. Drummond provided the items discussed: 

• New westbound right-hand turn lane into Trancas will take only a couple months once the bridge is completed by Caltrans
• PCH raised median improvements complete from John Tyler to Cross Creek — notice all the nice plantings between Cross Creek and Webb Way
• Measure R funds to be used on the las Flores and Rambla Pacifico new safer intersection 
• Moon shadows beacon and crosswalk in the works start design early Fall  
• More PCH raised medians funded for Paradise Cove and Zuma Beach
• Measure R funds ready for new pedestrian under crossing at Malibu Seafood and Corral Beach
• Measure R funds objective to make PCH a smart corridor from Topanga Canyon to John Tyler
• CCTV poles being erected this week — so signals can be controlled by Caltrans — with anticipated completion date in December 2024 
• Installed 23,000 feet of conduit to date
• Traffic signal poles are approved to install 
• Protected left-turn lane proposed for John Tyler Drive at PCH to accommodate more left turns and reduce conflicts between oncoming traffic
• Upgrade the pedestrian beacon to a full pedestrian signal at La Costa
• Beach access pedestrian crosswalk near Carbon Beach East with U-turn available there contemplated 
• The implementation of red light enforcement cameras at: 1. Malibu Canyon 2. Webb Way 3. La Costa Beach Club 4. Rambo’s Pacifico 5. Las Flores and likely adding one at Big Rock.
• Speed detection systems will be installed so that when someone speeds, the next light will turn red to stop themand slow them down. 
• PCH districts — residential — business district from Surfrider Beach Inn to Carbon Beach.
• PCH Master Plan from McClure Tunnel to Mugu Rock Public Works and Public Safety June 26 — 5 p.m. in person, but video will be available so the public can watch — master plan by December — kickoff to provide comments and feedback 
• Major Capital Improvement Projects. Current ones: McClure Tunnel to Cross Creek, 2027 — Cross Creek to Mugu will be completed this year or next year.

After commissioner updates, Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Sgt. Chris Soderlund provided an update on the crime and traffic for the month of May.

Year to date, there were 158 part-one crimes, a negative 7.6 percent decrease in crime compared to last year.

Soderlund said 25 out of 34 part-one crimes were burglary or theft-related. 

“It’s a good reminder to lock your doors, hide your valuables, don’t be an easy target,” Soderlund said. 

Soderlund also mentioned the speed chase that occurred in Malibu on June 6.

“The CHP (California Highway Patrol) officer initiated the pursuit and requested our (LASD) assistance, and while we were trying to catch up to the pursuit, the suspect crashed near Cross Creek and got out and took off running on foot, the CHP officer ran after him and was able to take him into custody and he was a parole at large who did not want to go back to prison … which he is going back to now.” 

The City Council approved the Malibu Library Set Aside Funds for Fiscal Year 2024-25 and Charmlee Wilderness Park Nature Center.

The five councilmembers unanimously voted to approve the repair and maintenance of the Charmlee Nature Center and name it after Walt and Lucile Keller.  

Drummond was in support of the repairs and said adults and children of all ages would enjoy the Nature Center.

"Walt and Lucile are treasures of the community that need to be honored in some way and this naming of the nature center is most appropriate," Drummond said. "I wish all this could have happened while Walt, Malibu’s first mayor, was alive, but Lucile is still here and it would be a nice memory for the two of them who loved wildlife, nature, and inspired the instructor led hikes there and helped this be an important acquisition during cityhood. But please get it back into shape so it can be opened as soon as possible."

The last item on the agenda was the proposal from the Malibu Film Society Requesting Waived Facility Use Fees for Screenings at City Hall. The council approved the proposal. 

The next City Council meeting is on Monday, June 24 at the Council Chambers.