New member of the Public Works Commission was appointed by City Councilmember Marianne Riggins
Mica Belzberg was appointed to the Public Works Commission on Jan. 9, by newly elected City Councilmember Marianne Riggins, for a four-year term that will last until January 2027.
For those who need a refresher on what the Public Works Commission does, it make recommendations to City Council regarding capital projects, including roads and piers; management of solid waste, transportation, congestion, and stormwater; landslide abatement; public utilities; and telecommunications.
She and husband Greg have run Belzberg Design & Development in Malibu for over 10 years, and it currently has three single-family home projects — one completed home is on the market, a second home has just been finished, and a third is being renovated — as well as their own home. She’s also a licensed Realtor affiliated with The Agency.
One of their latest projects was a $24 million gem in the same neighborhood as Jeff Bezos and Napster founder Sean Parker, on Selfridge Drive.
“We both love architecture and pulling together a team of people. It’s something we enjoy doing,” Belzberg explained. “The Woolsey Fire and COVID resulted in big delays on our projects, but we learned a lot.”
“My husband and I are busy working parents, but we think we’re setting a good example for the children,” she said in a phone interview. “They attend Viewpoint (a private school) since COVID, but I’d rather they go to school locally. I hope they’ll be here [in Malibu] for high school.”
The couple took their two sons, ages nine and 11, on a family camping trip to Sycamore Canyon during spring break.
“I’m on two boards on Point Dume, where our own house is, and I try to help out [the community] whenever I’m asked,” Belzberg said. “I helped Marianne get elected with my network of women. She’s a woman open to different ideas, especially with kids, and I was excited about her positions.
“The Public Works Commission was the most appealing [of all the commissions] to me because I’m interested in the infrastructure of Malibu, and I want everything to run well and smoothly and efficiently for a reasonable cost.”
The commission has met three times on Zoom since Belzberg’s appointment, and she looks forward to future in-person meetings.
“It’s been so enjoyable getting to know the Riviera I and II neighbors, and learning about the challenges of neighborhoods other than my own, like Big Rock,” she said.
“I feel like all of these [commission] positions involve being a voice for the community and I hope people will let me know what I can bring to the table for them,” Belzberg said. “I get to learn from a lot of interesting people like [Public Works Director / City Engineer] Rob DuBoux, who is invested in and cares about the community, and hopefully Malibu will continue to get better and better.”