To start off the Planning Commission meeting on Monday, Malibu Coastal Engineer Reviewer Lauren Doyel provided a brief update on the Coastal Commission meeting that occured on Friday, Aug. 12, at King Gillette Ranch.
The California Coastal Commission (CCC) denied certification of the Land Use Plan Amendment No. LCP as submitted by the City of Malibu, stating it does not meet the requirements of and is not in conformity with the policies of Chapter 3 of the Coastal Act.
“It’s all about updating the LCP to incorporate Sea Level Rise all communities that are supposed to update their LCP’s and the new guidance,” Doyel said. “It was a presentation by some of the local cities about their experience and an education and recording of the local working group on the sea level rise issue to the Coastal Commission about their findings and some recommended policies.”
Doyel said she recently heard the Ocean Protection Council will update its Sea Level Rise predictions next year. Doyel said the numbers should be going down.
Planning Director Richard Mollica said that Doyel, along with other city staff, are working along with coastal city staff.
“Whatever we do to our code, our LCP, it’s being done in conjuction with coastal staff, it’s not just city staff working on their own,” Mollica said.
Doyel said one of the problems the coastal commission faces is a staff shortage and asked the commission for more help with coordination.
“They are very short-staffed, and we provided commentary to please, please, staff up because we will need help moving forward — many cities will, not just Malibu,” Doyel said.
For commissioner’s comments, Chair Kraig Hill asked Mollica what the city can expect now in terms of any further actions.
“We’re close; one more vote and that would’ve changed. The Coastal Commission staff did recommend denial of the city’s hosted ordinance; there was a concern that the hosted aspects of the ordinance would lead to a diminished number in visitor-serving accommodations, ” Mollica said. “We will be bringing something back to the council to get direction because our amendment is essentially dead, the Coastal Commission denied it, so the next step would be if it’s the council’s pleasure, put something together, seek public input, and try again.”
Mollica said the Coastal Commission said Malibu needs to work more as a partner with that commission.
Hill moved on in his commissioners’ comments and questioned how code enforcement is supposed to work on the weekends. Hill mentioned the Sunset Jazz Festival and the Malibu Cars and Coffee event, which has increased participation and forced the other scheduled events visitors to park on the highway.
Hill raised concerns on whether the event was permitted.
Mollica said the monthly event is organized by the Community Service Department and is not under the planning commission’s jurisdiction to enforce the event.
According to the city’s events calendar, the Malibu Cars and Coffee Car Show has been cancelled on Aug. 28 and for the entire month of September. The city’s recreation coordinator, Adrianna Fiori, said the the city has cancelled the event due to park permits on the following Sundays.
“We’re doing our best to be there, the Cars and Coffee and the softball event, I completely agree; it seems like that was overtaxing the site,” Mollica said. “But that is something I can bring up with the community service director.”
As for code enforcement, Mollica is still looking to hire more assistance with enforcement code seven days a week.
The Planning Commission is scheduled for the first and third mondays of every month unless otherwise modified when the annual meeting schedule is adopted.
To view the Malibu Planning Commission meeting visit, cityofmalibu on YouTube.