View Preservation and View Restoration

Malibu Municipal Code Chapter 17.45 established two methods property owners may use when they wish to improve a view that is blocked by foliage: View Preservation and View Restoration. Each property owner must determine which method applies to their specific situation.

update - Woolsey Fire

On September 9, 2019, the City approved Ordinance 450 to protect victims of disasters from having primary view corridors established over their properties that would unfairly limit the size and/or location of future replacement structures or replacement landscaping damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Please review Chapter 17.45.150 of the Municipal Code for expiration of prohibition information and timelines. If you have additional questions after reading that section, call the City Planning Hotline at 310-456-2489, extension 485.

View Preservation

View Preservation is for property owners who have had their primary view corridor documented by the City on or after February 13, 2012, through a Request for a Primary View Determination. This method provides a 5-step process for the view owner to work with foliage owners in order to preserve their documented primary view corridor that is obstructed by foliage located within 1,000 feet of the point of the main viewing area.

View Restoration

View Restoration is for property owners who do not have a Primary View Determination, and want to restore a pre-existing view that has been significantly obstructed by foliage located within 1,000 feet of the point of the main viewing area of the view owner’s primary view corridor. This 4-step process is for residents who have pictures they wish to use as the basis for restoring their view.

Primary View Determination

A Primary View Determination is the process by which a Planning staff member goes to a property and documents the primary view corridor.

View Preservation Permits

  • If the View Preservation or View Restoration steps produce an agreement between the view owner and the foliage owner, either party may request a View Preservation Permit from the Planning Director to memorialize that agreement.
  • If all attempts at informal discussion, mediation, and binding arbitration do not results in an agreement between the view owner and the foliage owner, the view owner may apply for a View Preservation Permit from the Planning Commission to request preservation of the Primary View Corridor, provided the view was documented by staff on or after February 13, 2012.

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