Community encouraged to attend the last PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study meeting on Dec. 11 at City Hall
To start off the Malibu City Council meeting on Monday, Deputy City Manager Alexis Brown gave the council and the community a brief presentation on the Pacific Coast Highway safety update with the SB 1297 speed cameras bill, proposed projects, and upcoming Caltrans PCH master plan meeting on Dec.11.
Caltrans and the City of Malibu invite all community members to attend the seventh meeting on Caltrans’ PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Malibu City Hall. Caltrans District 7 is planning to identify and evaluate short-term, medium-term, and long-term potential projects and potential funding sources that could be implemented to improve safety and reduce the rate and severity of collisions within the portion of Pacific Coast Highway.
Key goals include: reducing crashes and crash severity, providing safer accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians, providing safer and more comfortable accommodations for transit users, improving the character of PCH to better fit into the community, preserving/enhancing emergency access, access to beaches and mountains, and access to businesses, and preserving evacuation routes.
Caltrans’ “Key Tools in the Toolbox” of options and improvements include: roundabouts, new sidewalks, colored/buffered/protected bike lanes, staggered parking, lane reduction, angled parking, emergency accessible medians, traffic calming trees, new or improved pedestrian crosswalks, and gateways.
Brown also announced the PCH roundabouts at El Matador State Beach, and Encincal Canyon Road. The project locations are at the entrance of El Matador State Beach, and at the intersection of PCH and Encincal Canyon Road. Brown said the Las Virgenes Council of Governments approved $2 million to fund the temporary improvements, also known as a quick-build project.
These two roundabout areas focus on improving the safety for motorists, cyclists, transit users, and pedestrians along the PCH corridor. The proposed solutions are expected to reduce crashes by 39 percent and severe injuries and fatalities by 90 percent. The roundabout recommendations were from the 2015 safety study.
“I wanted to highlight that there has been a total of six public meetings, three in person and three virtual, this will be the seventh, but it’s one of the last times for our residents to participate in this part of process,” Brown said. “So we reallyencourage people to come out and take part in this.”
Brown said Caltrans will be reviewing the feedback and returning in January 2025 with an internal review to finalize the study. In March, the agency will be presenting to the California Transportation Commission.
Brown also reminded the community about driving safely during the holidays.
“We wanted to emphasize to be mindful, do not drink and drive, there’s Uber, there’s alternatives. Please remember that behind the wheel, it’s not just your life it’s the life of others, so we’re really trying to remind everyone on that shared responsibility,” Brown said.
During council updates, Mayor Pro Tem Marianne Riggins asked if the council could get an update on the Equestrian Center in Malibu and how much the city is utilizing the property. Currently, the city is paying $80,000 for maintenance. Riggins also asked if evacuation zone signs can be installed near the Beacon Boxes.
“I would like people to know their evacuation zones so that if and when the time comes, it would be a nice place to put them,” she said.
Public Safety Director Susan Duenas said she can look into the signage.
After council updates, the council approved the Malibu Library Set Aside Funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26.
The council approved the request for speed humps on Bonsall Drive and Busch Drive. The city received written requests for speed humps on two residential streets: Bonsall Drive between PCH to the end of the street, and Busch Drive between Harvester Road and Cuthbert Road, respectively. Bonsall Drive has a posted speed limit of 25 mph and approximately 1 mile in length with 56 properties that abut the street. Busch Drive between Harvester Road and Cuthbert Road has a posted speed limit of 30 mph and approximately 1,700 feet in length with 24 properties that abut the street. Out of 24 properties, 15 have submitted a petition verified by the city, resulting in 62 percent of property owner in support of installing speed humps.
Bonsall Drive and Busch Drive residents attended the meeting to support the speed humps.
Mayor Doug Stewart echoed the comments and said he was on the Public Safety Commission when they were trying to get it approved.
“Congratulations to the people who went out and got the signatures; it’s a lot of work, and we appreciate it,” Stewart said.
The council approved the placement of the speed humps.
The last item on the agenda was Community Development Department Organizational Plan. The council approved the creation of the community development director position; and adopted Resolution No. 24-60 amending the Salary Ranges, Authorized Positions, and Class Descriptions for FY 2024-25. The motion will also include making the solution effective upon the certainty of a new community development director.
The next City Council meeting is on Monday, Dec. 9.