The City of Malibu has completed Phase 1 of the Community Lands Project, its extensive community outreach and engagement program regarding the future use of five city-owned community lands. The city is now moving into Phase 2 to narrow down the feedback received and identify the types of uses the community envisions for each specific land.
“The participation from our community has been tremendous. This process is about creating spaces that will truly serve our community’s needs for generations. Every voice matters as we work together to shape Malibu’s future,” said Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart. “The feedback from Phase 1 provides a strong foundation for more targeted discussions in Phase 2. We’re excited to dive deeper into the community’s vision for each specific land, which will help us determine the next steps in October.”
The city received 322 suggestions at three in-person meetings and three pop-up events, 259 recommendations via email and website forms, and 201 responses to the community survey. Based on this input, the city has identified the most frequent suggestions received to develop 10 categories of potential uses for further consideration in Phase 2.
Phase 2 will take place beginning mid-August through September and will focus on determining which of the 10categories the community prefers for each of the five lands. In addition to gathering feedback via email and the updated website form at malibucommunitylands.org/contact-us, the city is hosting another round of in-person events and plans to conduct another community survey.
Upcoming Community Meetings:
- Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 5:30 p.m. — Chili Cook-Off Land, 23575 Civic Center Way
For more information about the project, including maps and details for each community land, and how to participate in Phase 2, please visit MalibuCommunityLands.org and sign up for email updates at MalibuCity.org/CommunityLandsEnotify.
City Manager replies to Community Lands Project methodology concerns
The City Manager updated the City Council on the Community Lands Project on Aug. 26, and answered some questions that have been raised by community members about the methodology used. The 10 most popular categories of uses that were most submitted during the outreach and engagement process were listed in alphabetical order, with no prioritization or ranking implied. There were concerns about one of those categories, “Commercial use (parking, business development).” That category comprised suggested uses including park and ride, visitor center, affordable/workforce housing, and entertainment. Regarding the project gathering input from “non-residents,” the outreach and input gathering has been inclusive of all community stakeholders, which includes residents, local businesses and organizations and their employees, residents in the unincorporated areas of Malibu, and Pepperdine University staff and students, all of whom access our amenities and services on a regular basis. It should also be noted 94 percent of the respondents in Phase 1 identified themselves as residents of Malibu. All of the responses submitted throughout this process are available to view on the project website at malibucommunitylands.org. When the final outcomes are reported to the City Council this October, the report will delineate out data submitted by residents.