Nearly a decade after the initial proposal the Malibu City Council ratified both versions of the La Paz commercial development in two 4-1 votes on Nov. 10. In September the council had postponed the project due to contention over environmental issues among other disputes.
The larger version of the project “The .20 Plan will be constructed in Malibu’s Civic Center area. It will include 112,058 square feet of commercial retail, restaurants and businesses, in addition to a 20,000 square foot city hall building and an on-site wastewater treatment system. Proponents now have permission to seek approval from the California Coastal Commission to go forward with the plans.
The lone dissenter was Councilman Jefferson Wagner, who felt the overall size of the project was too large for the area.
The final potential outcome of a project this size in my opinion would affect the lifestyle of many of the permanent residents of Malibu Wagner said. Not transitional residents … but the ones who have been here for a long time and are here to raise their children and have a full life in the city of Malibu would be impacted.”
However proponents of La Paz state in their report that the architecture is intended to reflect the natural qualities of the Malibu area and blend into the surrounding community.Should “The .20 Plan” be rejected a smaller version of the project which is 99000 square feet and referred to as “The .15 Plan would not need the support of the coastal commission. However, this La Paz development does not include a city hall building. Due to the fact it would not include a city hall structure, Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich cast the only vote of opposition for The .15 Plan.”
Although Wagner voted in favor of “The .15 Plan he said he still believes the 99,000 square foot plan is too large.
Despite the majority vote of the council, Malibu environmental groups still vehemently oppose the project.
We’re obviously disappointed that the city of Malibu would approve a development in the Civic Center when they don’t have any kind of a comprehensive plan to deal with the existing pollution problems caused by septic systems said Mark Abramson, the director of Watershed Programs at the Santa Monica Baykeeper. Adding more water to it would be a bad idea.”
Abramson said the bacteria standards at Surfrider Beach have been violated 74 times since April 2008. Environmentalists explain that the rise in groundwater resulting from La Paz would lead to further surface water and wastewater pollution.
However according to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) the project will not cause significant impact to biological resources or water quality. On-site wastewater treatment systems will minimize impacts related to wastewater discharges and control run-off. Treated wastewater will be utilized to irrigate landscaping.
La Paz officials have also taken parking traffic fire safety and the well-being of neighboring families into consideration.
Pepperdine students have mixed feelings about La Paz being in the university’s vicinity.
“I think it’s really good that we’ll have [La Paz] because you have to drive 30 minutes sometimes just to get to an affordable shopping center said freshman Stephanie Nelson. It would be great if it’s affordable; it would give Pepperdine students something else to do and it would draw attention to the school as more people drive [on PCH].”
Others do not see La Paz as a necessary addition to Malibu.
“As a student with a car I realize traffic on PCH can already be a nightmare … I appreciate that economically it would bring more activity to the area and that many students would find it convenient said junior Leann Wolley. But for me part of the reason I came to Pepperdine was precisely because it is a somewhat quiet campus and it’s a place where I have the essentials but I have to go a while for a little adventure.”
Students who do not have cars on campus seem more inclined to accept the La Paz proposal.
“I would definitely use a shuttle system if it’s available to get down there Nelson said.
Mark Davis, Pepperdine’s dean of student affairs, understands the transportation dilemma.
I know Pepperdine would be willing to help by making our shuttle go there to drop students off he said. It would be easy to make that a part of the route.”
According to Stefanie Edmondson the principal planner for the city of Malibu construction on La Paz will not begin for another year at least. La Paz officials still have to finalize designs and present the plans to the California Coastal Commission. More information will be known once the project receives further approval.